This sequential explorative mixed methods study aims to explore how selfassessment strategies can be used to enhance quality education in schools in the Zambezi region of Namibia. The researcher posits that teachers are key in enhancing quality education if accorded appropriate recourses to innovate and explore the use of self-assessment strategies in schools. A pragmatic research approach was used to guide this sequential explorative mixed methods study. The study sought participants’ perceptions on four sub-problems of the study: What entails quality and quality education? How can self-assessment strategies be linked to quality and quality education in general terms? What recourses are available to ensure that quality education is realised by the use of self-assessment strategies in the Zambezi region? How can self-assessment strategy models be developed to enhance the quality of education in the Zambezi region? Purposefully sampled school principals and heads of departments of five combined schools participated in the study. During the first phase, face-to-face interviews were conducted with the five participating school principals while the HoDs were engaged in a focus group interview. The qualitative data was later used to inform the design of the second phase of the study (quantitative). In the second phase, fifty-four teachers completed Likert-scale questionnaires which were analysed using IBM SPSS.19 and Microsoft Excel to compare with the qualitative data. This study revealed that schools have common understandings of quality and quality education albeit defined differently. The study also revealed that external professional support is inadequate to support teachers in continuous professional development activities. Furthermore, the study showed that the available recourses are seldom utilised to enhance quality education in schools. Finally, the study revealed that the use of one type of teacher self-evaluation (TSE) deprives innovative teachers from initiating and exploring other viable self-assessment strategies. Therefore, this study propagates the use of alternative self-assessment strategies that can contribute towards the enhancement of quality education in schools in the Zambezi region of Namibia. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed.

This research focuses on the role of the school principal as instructional leader in primary schools in Thoyandou area, Limpopo Province. It was motivated by a marked decline in the fulfilment of the instructional leadership role of principals in certain schools in the Limpopo Province. A literature study was undertaken to determine the role of a instructional leader, approaches to this role as well as the relationship between the principal's instructional leadership role and staff development and staff appraisal respectively. A qualitative inquiry was conducted using a focus group and personal interviews with a small sample of participants selected by judgement sampling. The findings suggest that understanding of the instructional leadership is fragmented; principals often fail to develop staff adequately; and the Department of Education's new approach to staff and development appraisals is not adequately implemented in schools. Finally guidelines are provided to assist principals in fulfilling their role as effective instructional leaders. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Education Management)

The quest for a better way to learn and teach programming, in particular object-oriented programming, is a challenge that continues to intrigue computer science educators. Even after decades of research in learning to program, educators still search for the optimal instructional approach that will solve the `learning to program effectively' problem among introductory programming students. The aim of this study was to gain insight into, and to suggest possible explanations for, the "qualitatively different ways" in which students experience learning to program using an object-oriented programming language, and to recommend teaching and learning strategies as a result of the outcomes of the research. In order to achieve these aims, a combination of phenomenographic research methods and elements of activity theory have been employed to gain an in depth understanding of pre- and in-service teachers' learning experiences. The categories of description for the phenomenon, learning to program and the influence of the learning context have been analysed and described in detail. It is argued that understanding learning to program using Java, in order to teach programming involves more than understanding learning to program as it is normally taught in university programming courses. In addition to object-oriented concepts such as message passing, inheritance, polymorphism, delegation and overriding, it entails understanding how learning to program is reflected in the goals of instruction and in different instructional practices. Knowledge of learning to program must also be linked to knowledge of students' thinking, so that teachers have conceptions of typical trajectories of student learning, and can use this knowledge to recognize landmarks of understanding in individuals. The findings suggest relationships among students' affective appraisals of the value of learning to program, their conceptions of learning to program, their approaches to learning it, their evaluations of their performance in tests and examinations and outcomes of their actions. The relationships emerged from student descriptions of their actions and the way in which different aspects of their learning and outcomes related to one another were qualitatively described and in some cases, quantified. In particular, the tensions between prior programming knowledge of a procedural language and current learning of an object-oriented language have emerged in the study. This has implications for teaching, as this study was set against the backdrop of the change in programming language in high schools, from a procedural to an object-oriented language. / Mathematical Sciences / PhD (Maths, Science and Technology Education)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the training given to Foundation Phase (FP) teachers in the implementation of Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), with the intention to develop an alternative professional development (PD) approach for this Phase. Literature indicates that the academic success of learners can be significantly affected by Foundation Phase teachers’ access and participation in quality PD activities. It also indicates that PD is much more than training. It includes on-going workshops, follow-up, study, reflections, observations and assessment which accommodates FP teachers as learners, recognises the long-term nature of learning, and utilises methods that are likely to lead teachers to improve their practice as professionals. In this study, mixed methods research approach was employed to collect empirical data. It includes questionnaires responded to by 84 FP teachers, three sets of interview questions, that is, one for 9 primary school principals, one for 3 subject advisors, and the last one for the Focus group made up of 10 FP teachers who were not included in questionnaires. Observation at training centre was also conducted. The study revealed that the responses from the five sets of data collection instruments seemed to agree on the following: - FP teachers were not involved in the design of their PD activities; - An appropriate time for FP teachers to engage in PD activities is during school holidays; - The length of the training was too short; - Training was not based on the teachers identified needs; and - It was not designed by teachers in cooperation with experts in the field. This study therefore recommends the use of mixed-models approach because the Cascade model that was used, is not addressing the needs of all FP teachers. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

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 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 Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The purpose of the study was to investigate individual professional development needs of teachers with the aim of developing guidelines that may assist foundation phase teachers to do individual needs analysis effectively. The main research question was: Which strategies can be used to conduct individual needs analysis effectively among the foundation phase teachers in order to improve their effectiveness? The researcher was guided by the interpretive paradigm which implies that participant’s interpretations, perceptions, meanings and understandings were regarded as primary sources. The qualitative research design was used to obtain participants’ primary data. Interviews and observations were used to collect data and to maximise trustworthiness of the findings. Purposive sampling was used to select key informants who were going to provide rich information to help achieve the objectives of the study. The researcher selected the sample of 10 foundation phase teachers, 5 principals and 5 Development Support Groups attached to primary schools under Imfolozi Circuit. Data analysis was done throughout data collection through open, axial and selective coding. The hierarchical category system illustrated in schematic representation representing the main theme and subthemes was used. The findings suggest that there is a serious gap regarding how individual professional development needs and provision of professional development are concerned. The focus was more on training teachers about the new curriculum leaving behind the individual needs of each teacher. The study identified some inconsistencies and lack of uniformity in the way needs analysis was currently done in schools. The major recommendation of this study is that needs analysis should be integrated within all school activities instead of once a year. There is a need for close monitoring of teacher development in order to improve the current learner performance in schools. The researcher believes the study will assist in understanding, informing and improving teaching practice. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)