The objective of education authorities worldwide is to enhance teachers’ professional capacities and practices through the supply of quality continuous professional development (CPD) activities. The South African education system has been subjected to many changes during the past two decades which have seriously affected the quality of education provided in schools country wide. Professional development (PD) of teachers has been found to be a key factor in raising standards in South African schools. Although the National Department of Education has identified teacher development as important, very little has transpired in the education system. School leaders should, therefore, take on the responsibility of providing their staff with PD opportunities. To support teachers in special schools and to enhance their professional capacity, the researcher designed, implemented and evaluated a collaborative PD model in six special schools in Gauteng. The aim of the study was to establish the value of the CPD programme on teachers’ learning, learners’ outcomes and whole school change. This multi-phased case study research was positioned within a bigger study conducted by the Gauteng Department of Education and in particular the Early Childhood Development Institute (ECDI). This larger study was based on the fact that most of the burn related accidents in South Africa occur in the 0-4 age group, which served as the rationale for including the fire safety programme in the ECD curriculum. The focus during the research was on the adaptation of fire safety activities and learners and teacher support materials for an inclusive classroom. This research reports on a two year study on the implementation of a CPD model based on collaboration and peer coaching. The theoretical framework for this study links to theories of constructivism, organisational theory of Senge, network and social capital. This research serves as an example of where valuable internal and external networks were formed for the benefit of all involved with the study. During this research theory and practice were successfully integrated for the benefit of the individual, the school and external organisations. / Department of Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The out of field phenomenon, that is, educators who teach outside their field of expertise, adds complexity to the education environment. This growing phenomenon in South African schools impacts colleagues, learners, parents, governing bodies and school management. Teaching characteristics that ensure success in classrooms are threatened by the out of field phenomenon. It puts extra strain on school management's responsibility to provide quality management and jeopardises effective teaching and quality learning. This problem was investigated by a literature study and an empirical investigation using a qualitative approach. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with selected participants who shared their experiences of the phenomenon. Findings indicated that the existence of the out of field phenomenon should be recognised in order to provide substantial educator support and sufficient staff development programmes. It is recommended that new evidence-informed knowledge about the out of field phenomenon can contribute to improve effective decision making and policy developing in this regard. / Education management / M.Ed.

Since the early 1990’s both South Africa and Namibia have been engaged in educational reform processes to address the discriminatory impacts and orientations of education under Bantu Education which were implemented in both countries prior to independence (Namibia in 1990, and South Africa in 1994). A feature of both educational reform processes is the underpinning theory of learning which draws on social constructivism, and which is articulated as learner centred education. This approach to teaching and learning infuses both policy frameworks. Another common feature is the introduction of environmental education into the formal education systems of both countries, a process which has been championed by development assistance, and which has been supported by programmes such as the Eco-Schools programme which is an international environmental education initiative started after the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, and implemented in a number of countries, including South Africa. The programme has also been piloted in some schools in Namibia. To date no research has been done on the way in which the Eco-Schools framework (its practices, organizing principles, evaluation processes etc.) enhance learner centred education. This study therefore aimed to investigate and understand how the Eco-Schools framework can enhance learner centred education. The study was conducted in 2007 in three Eco-Schools in Namibia and four Eco-Schools in South Africa in the context of the broader national programmes of implementing learner centred education policies, and environmental education histories. The study used a case study methodology, using observation, interviews, and document analysis as the main methods for data generation. The analytical process followed two stages: the first involved an inductive analysis using categories which were organized into a series of analytical memos. The second phase of data analysis involved recontextualising the data drawing on theory and contextual insights to provide insights that address the research question, using analytical statements. The main findings of the study are that the Eco-Schools framework provides numerous opportunities to enhance learner centred education, through contextualization of learning, through strengthening school-community interactions, and through enabling active involvement of learners in decision making and a range of contextually meaningful Eco-Schools practices. The study also showed that the Eco-Schools framework allows for empowerment of learners in relation to diverse needs, and also allows for learner initiated contributions, although this aspect was not well developed in the schools that were included in this study. The study also found that the benefits of Eco-Schools in terms of enhancing learner centred education were limited to only a few learners who were involved in club activities or who were being taught by enthusiastic teachers who were participating in the Eco-Schools programme. The study showed that these benefits can be more widely shared if more teachers were to get involved, and if the Eco-Schools programme were better understood in relation to the curriculum requirements of various subjects and learning areas, and if the Eco-Schools practices could be more successfully integrated across the curriculum. The study also showed that various forms of support were required for implementing the Eco-Schools programme, most notably the support of the Principal, and the Department of Education. The study also identified that parents and other stakeholders in the school were supportive of the Eco-Schools programme since it was perceived to have relevance to learning, as well as the community. The results broadly confirmed that the implementation of Eco-Schools using a whole school, values based and active learning approach promotes a school culture which enhances learner centred education more broadly across the school. The study also found that the Eco-Schools programme added a new dimension to existing discourses on learner centred education, which could be described as a community linked or situated approach to learner centred education.

The Eastern Cape Department of Education has a constitutional and legislative mandate to provide quality public education in all public schools within the province. The commitment to improve also involves ensuring effective educator personnel provisioning in public secondary xii schools. However, despite various legislative and policy measures relating to educator personnel provisioning, serious concerns have been raised. There have been concerns over the shortage of educators. There are concerns over the lack of suitably qualified educators, especially in Mathematics and Science subjects. Disparities have been noted between legislative and policy directives with regard to educator personnel provisioning and the expectations of educators based on the realities in public secondary schools. The complications and challenges thereof have called upon for the appraisal of educator provisioning. The objective of the study is to describe and explain the nature and place of personnel provisioning in public secondary schools. Thereafter, evaluate its application at selected public secondary schools in the Eastern Cape Province. The basic intention is to prove that the educator personnel provision policy implementation in public schools needs to be examined and possibly changed for effective results. Basically, personnel provisioning is the first step in the personnel process. It is classified into: Human resources determination; and the Filling of posts The process of filling public personnel posts involves recruitment, selection, appointment, placement, transfer and promotion. In evaluating personnel provisioning policy in public secondary schools, a research study has to be conducted. As an integral part of scope of study, the survey area includes public secondary schools, provincial department offices and educator union/association offices. The questionnaire is used as the appropriate data collection instrument for this survey. The total population for the study are provincial department officials, public secondary school principals, school governing body chairpersons and educator unions/associations. xiii When data was analysed and interpreted, there were various significant findings. The respondents’ demographic details provided a significant insight into the study and its findings. They ensured divergence of opinions and understanding of the personnel provisioning. Regarding human resources determination and the filling of posts in public secondary schools, it was found that there are challenges in terms of the employment of suitably qualified educators. These include among other issues educator dissatisfaction and lack of effective procedures in the filling of posts. This also results in educator shortage in public secondary schools.

The National Professional Diploma in Education is an in-service programme for classroom-based educators who have less than three years of professional training. The programme seeks to create a pathway to qualified teacher status in ways that will impact positively on classroom practice, prepare teacher-learners for the implementation of the new curriculum and provide a sufficiently rigorous foundation for further study. This evaluation adopted a fourth generation evaluation approach characterised by extensive engagement with programme stakeholders. Chapter 2 outlines an epistemological and philosophical framework of reference whilst Chapters 3 and 4 explore learning and teaching strategies and management and costing issues. The findings of these investigations lead to the recommendations made in Chapter 5. It is felt that the Unisa NPDE meets many of the goals of the programme, but further research is needed into the impact on classroom practice and into the management of the decentralised learner support. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Didactics)

Resting against a background of local and international movements in respect of human rights, South African educators have had to implement a new curriculum, accept diversity and address inclusive education with little or no training, insight and knowledge. Challenges at all levels in education, impact on the successful education of children and the future of young adults who must as equal members of society enter a fast changing global economy. Challenges for educators in South Africa are unique. The lack of knowledge and training for educators and an inadequate infrastructure of the country present as some of the challenges for educators. This qualitative study deals with the subjective experiences of educators in primary schools. The research indicates that when these challenges are addressed educators will be both, better supported and disposed, towards the implementation of inclusive education idealised as the panacea for social transformation in South Africa. / Educational Studies / M. Ed.

In recent years, the South African education system has experimented with different appraisal systems in an attempt to evaluate the performance of educators in public schools. Educator appraisal is receiving attention throughout the world as governments become aware of the need to examine educational provision critically to ensure that it is both relevant for and appropriate to, the needs of the youth. Before 1994, the appraisal of educators was mainly based on traditional approaches to evaluate their performance. For instance, it was the responsibility of the inspectors from the Department of Education (DoE) to evaluate the performance of educators in schools. Consequently, a great deal of criticism was levelled at this appraisal system such as the prevalence of political bias in the system, the unchecked power that the inspectors wielded, the incompetence of inspectors and irrelevance of some evaluation criteria and absence of contextual factors. After 1994, there was a paradigm shift from the traditional to the developmental approach to evaluate the performance of educators in public schools. That is, there was a need to develop educators through appropriate appraisal schemes with a view to enhancing their continued professional growth. Therefore, the present education system calls for a decentralised appraisal system, which places greater emphasis on the professional development of educators. Stakeholders such as educators and teacher unions have also made higher demands for improved educator evaluation and professional growth. In 1998, at the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC), the Department of Education (DoE) agreed to introduce the Developmental Appraisal System (DAS) followed by the Whole-School Evaluation (WSE) in 2001. Both these policies were rejected by educators and their teacher unions since they regarded these appraisal systems as summative, judgmental and that failed to offer opportunities for further development. In August 2003, the DoE and the unions signed two collective agreements, which led to the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) and it was intended to integrate and strengthen various components of DAS, WSE and performance measurement (PM). The IQMS was first implemented in South African schools in 2005 with the aim of enhancing the continuing professional growth of educators. Furthermore, the National Department of Education (NDoE) introduced the National Policy Framework on Teacher Education and Development (NPFTED) in 2006. This policy aimed to equip educators to undertake their essential and demanding tasks and to enable them to enhance their professional competence and performance on a continuing basis. Even though the IQMS was introduced as a new system to evaluate the performance of educators and to enhance their professional growth, it does not actually serve its purpose since it is not properly implemented and monitored in schools. Instead of using it as a tool to enhance the professional growth of educators, its emphasis is on getting assessment scores, which are directly related to remuneration. As a result, the ultimate aim of professional development for educators is neglected. This means that the IQMS is regarded as a separate entity that is not linked to the continuing professional growth of educators and its developmental programmes are criticised for being traditional since they are only confined to class visits, which are conducted once or twice a year for PM purposes. Therefore, since the introduction of the IQMS in 2003 and its implementation in 2005 in South African schools, no empirical research has been conducted on the need to link appraisal to professional development in the IQMS in South African schools. The study conducted by Bisschoff and Mathye (2009) focusses on the advocacy of an appraisal system for teachers. Another study conducted by Dhlamini (2009) concentrates on the role of the IQMS to measure and improve teaching and learning in the South African further education and training (FET) sector. Furthermore, the study by Rabichund (2011) focusses on the assessment of the IQMS and its implications for whole school development. Furthermore, the study by Mahlaela (2011) investigates the IQMS as a transformational strategy for teacher development in South Africa. Accordingly, this study builds on these studies and it seeks to investigate how appraisal and professional development can be linked in the IQMS in South African schools. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This study attempted to design and implement an intervention programme to improve the self-concepts and attitudes of prospective primary school teachers. The possible effects of the programme were researched by means of a combined quantitative and qualitative approach. A questionnaire to determine the effectiveness of the programme was also designed. Important findings of this study are that: (a) the Cronbach Alpha Coefficient indicated a 0,9 reliability of the designed questionnaire; (b) the average self-concepts of prospective teachers improved after the intervention programme was implemented, though not significantly and (c) the self-concepts of prospective teachers not majoring in Mathematics also improved after the intervention, though not significantly. A focus group interview was conducted to improve the intervention programme. On the basis of the responses of the participants in the focus group interview as well as of the quantitative study and of the literature reviewed, an improved version of the intervention programme was designed. According to the research, the programme should include: cooperative learning; everyday life contexts; manipulatives; hands-on activities, encouraging the asking of questions; a positive relationship between lecturer and student; writing assignments before doing a new topic; content relevance; a positive communication of assessment; games; various approaches to solving problems; understandable language; gender sensitivity and positive role modeling. The intervention programme implemented in this study was tested over a period of three months; hence the recommendation in this research for the replication thereof over a longer period. The study further recommends that since the study was conducted in one college of education only, there is a need for it to be conducted in a number of colleges, in order to elicit a broader and more representative picture of the impact of the intervention programme. The findings of this study advocate the need to combine both quantitative and qualitative research in studies: the results of the quantitative research did not conclusively indicate a positive impact of the intervention programme. However, the qualitative research saw respondents expressing improved confidence and attitudes. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

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)

Like so many aspects of South African society, teacher education is undergoing change. The researcher studied existing school-based in-service education and training (SBINSET) programmes in the Northern Province and to improve the programmes, proposes Continuous Self-Renewal School-Based INSET (CSR SB INSET). Based on the extensive literature survey, strategies that would improve effective educational transformation are identified. Different concepts of INSET are explained. Components of teacher education are examined as are those factors that influence educational transformation. Advantages and limitations are identified and guidance on how to overcome these are suggested. The aim of this study was to examine INSET towards educational transformation with reference to primary schools in the Northern Province in order to introduce and assess a CSR SBINSET. The study examines the existing SBINSET programmes which are run in the Northern Province. The importance of teachers' continued professional growth is emphasised throughout this study. The researcher views systematic in-service training programmes for teachers as an educational necessity for the continuing professional growth of primary school teachers. An empirical survey has been undertaken to ascertain the effectiveness of CSR SBINSET and the type of delivery strategy that may be implemented.The research considers particular aspects of classroom practice addressed in the programme. The research was guided by the following questions: + Which methods do teachers use in their subject teaching? + What are their approaches to learners and learning? + How do teachers reflect on their teaching? + What strategies do teachers use? This research aims to improve existing SBINSET programmes run in the Northern Province inter alia by observing practising teachers. CSR SBINSET attempts to improve the competencies teachers, lecturers and District Officials, through such means as the presentation of centre-based, school-based and cluster-based workshops. Although the educational authorities should take initiative to provide educational transformation, the following share responsibility in this vital aspect of education: + those in the Department of Education who are responsible for planning; + superintendents of education within districts and regions; + training institutions such as universities, technikons, colleges and private agencies. The importance of and necessity for, continuous professional development of primary school teachers by means of SBINSET programmes, is emphasised. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)