M.Bibl. (Information Science) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. (Education Management) / The White paper 6 advocates the introduction of inclusive education in all public schools in South Africa, where all learners irrespective of their abilities, would have to be taught together.That leaves educators with the biggest challenges. Among others, the educators must change their method of teaching in order to be able to deal with multi-lingual and multi-cultural classrooms. Moreover, educators are expected to change their attitudes and perception on learners with special educational needs. In addition, they should be reskilled to serve as managers, counsellors and consultants. However, in South Africa there is no single model that could be used to address all the challenges left by the legacy of apartheid in public primary schools. The purpose of this study is to contribute and add to the existing body of knowledge on the challenges facing educators in implementing inclusive education. In order to accomplish this aim, the main endeavour is to reveal the biggest challenges facing educators in implementing inclusive education in public primary schools and to highlight the implications of inclusive education in schools. The researcher used the critical qualitative action research approach to probe eight educators and school principals regarding their training, whether they have the necessary skills to deal with the implementation of inclusive education in their mainstream schools and probing them about effective models of inclusion that are applicable to their schools. The research sample was randomly selected from two public primary schools in Gauteng Province in District 011. Interviews, classroom observation and closed questionnaires were used as instruments of obtaining relevant data. In this study, interaction schedules, coupled with other data processes such as inductive analysis and verifications were used to analyze data. Data collected was catergorise into themes and comparisons were made on patterns that appeared and reappeared during this study. The research study revealed that, there is a need for a change or shift from traditional practice to new paradigms where teachers as reflective practitioners, are expected to take a closure, critical look at their way of teaching, as dictated by the new curriculum. Furthermore, the study revealed that there is a need for a shift from a medical model to a understanding system located within an understanding of barriers to learning. Secondly, perceptions of educators on learners with barriers should change. Furthermore, there is a need of giving learners extra support so that they can fit or be integrated into the mainstream classrooms. Moreover, assessment should cater for diverse needs of all learners and very crucial, there should be a shift from pedagogy of exclusion to a pedagogy of possibilities that takes into consideration barriers to learning, different intelligences and learning styles. In order for the implementation of inclusive education to take place smoothly in public primary schools, the researcher recommended that: schools should develop effective partnership with parents, organizations and other community stakeholders. The Department of education in conjunction with schools should embark on an advocacy campaign. Furthermore, the Department of education should strengthen the site-based support teams (SBST) and ensure that educators receive quality training in inclusive education for human resource development and lastly, the Department should ensure that special schools are strengthened as resource centres.

Submitted in fidfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTORATE OF EDUCATION in the Department of Educational Psychology of the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 2006. / The aim of this investigation was to establish educators' perceptions of developmental appraisal by means of a literature study and an empirical investigation. As an introduction to the study, the developmental appraisal system in other countries was reviewed. In doing so the South African developmental appraisal system was compared with other countries, and the common characteristics were highlighted. Educators* perceptions of developmental appraisal in other countries were also focused on. The literature review reflects that there has been a paradigm shift in teacher evaluation from a judgmental approach to a developmental approach. In the judgmental approach there is a tendency to find fault, to be negative in reports that are written and not to acknowledge the positive things that educators do. The main aim of the developmental appraisal is to facilitate the personal and professional development of educators in order to improve the quality of teaching practice and education management. The primary aim of this investigation was to investigate educators' perceptions of developmental appraisal through the medium of literature and empirical study. The implementation of developmental appraisal, appraisal and staff development and the integrated quality management system were investigated using the literature and empirical study. The study revealed that educators have a negative perception of developmental appraisal. For the purpose of the empirical investigation, a self-structured questionnaire was utilized. An analysis was undertaken using 217 questionnaires completed by educators in the eThekwini Region- The data obtained from the completed questionnaires was processed and analysed by means of descriptive and inferential statistics. Essentially the following were the main research findings: XXll • the process of developmental appraisal did not contribute to the development of educators; • outside assessors were not invited when needed; • the rating scale of A or B was not adequate; • appraisal of educators did not result in improvement of qualifications; • the quality management initiatives resulted in an unnecessary increase in educator's workload; and • a better working relationship between the staff development team and the school management team was encouraged. The summary and findings emanating from the literature study and the descriptive and inferential statistics were presented. Based on these findings the following recommendations were made: • The Department of Education must re-introduce incentives and rewards for further study. • The inclusion of an appraisee from the outside on the appraisal panel should be made compulsory. • The Department of Education, teacher unions, principal's forum and other educational organizations must convene seminars, workshops and training programmes for appraisal panel members. • Further research should be conducted on the following: > The changing role of the educator and its impact on developmental appraisal. > The success of developmental appraisal based on the staff development team's leadership style. > Educators' perceptions of what role developmental appraisal serves in the integrated quality management system.

South Africa has eleven official languages. In this diverse context teaching is a complex issue. In the light of this statement, the aims of this study were to • ascertain teachers’ perceptions of language diversity in multicultural primary schools in Gauteng; • determine their views on the factors that impact on the acquisition of English as a second language; and • make recommendations on how teachers can best be supported to teach multicultural classes. The study adopted a quantitative approach. A questionnaire was used to gather data, which was completed by 60 teachers from three Gauteng primary schools. Significant conclusions include, that not all teachers are aware of the language policies. Most are in favour of English being taught from Grade one; believed the parents preferred their children to be educated in English, and were divided in their support of using mother tongue languages. Finally, recommendations were made, emanating from the study. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Socio-Education)

Department of Curriculum Studies / MEd

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies / See the attached abstract below

MPH / Department of Public Health / See the attached abstract below

Thesis (Ph.D. Education (Curriculum Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The genesis of this study was the lack of comprehensive teacher socialisation programmes for Zimbabwean immigrant teachers in public schools in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. To better understand the theoretical foundations of teacher socialisation as the phenomenon under review, the principles of expanded Activity Theory (AT) (Engeström, 1987) fused with elements of the theory of Symbolic Interactionism (SI) were used as a conceptual framework to ground and structure the study. The study sought to answer the following main research question: How are Zimbabwean immigrant teachers socialised in their host schools amid the inadequacy of existing teacher socialisation programmes for new teachers in public schools? The study followed the qualitative approach to research, based on the interpretive paradigm executed through a multiple instrumental case study design in two public secondary schools in the Sekhukhune South District of the Limpopo Province. The researcher used purposeful sampling so select five participants and two schools, which provided answers to the research questions posed. The study reveals that the teacher socialisation programmes offered in public schools are inadequate and not tailored according to the real needs of Zimbabwean immigrant teachers. The situation is entrenched by the lack of shared understanding amongst principals about the structure and implementation of an effective teacher socialisation programme, especially for immigrants. The study further revealed that Zimbabwean immigrant teachers, owing to their temporary job status, feel only partly valued and appreciated in the South African schooling system. This was evident in their perception that the employment policies for immigrants had been tightened to ensure that they do not attain any permanent employment. In addition, the study revealed that owing to the uncertainty of their job status in schools, Zimbabwean immigrant teachers prefer private schools as their employment of choice rather than public schools. Lastly, the study generally reveals that the challenges Zimbabwean immigrant teachers experience with their socialisation are more systemic than in their host schools.

Thesis (M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The purpose of this study was to explore the coping strategies of primary school teachers in their multi-grade classes at Glen Cowie circuit. This exploratory case study addresses the coping strategies that rural primary school teachers use in curriculum delivery. Data was generated through semi-structured interviews, observations and document analysis. This study revealed various challenges teachers experience and the coping strategies that teachers employ in dealing with challenges. A qualitative research approach was adopted in the study with the intention of finding as much detail as possible using a case study. Participants in this study were teachers who teach multi-grade classes in their rural schools in the Glen Cowie circuit in Limpopo. The investigation revealed that teachers did not have the necessary skills and expertise to teach multi-grade classes. It was also revealed that teachers were not trained to teach in multi-grade classes and they had to use individual strategies to cope with the contradictory conditions they found themselves in. The investigation concluded that the teachers in those multi-grade classes were qualified and had teaching experience, but they were not prepared to teach multi-grade classes in general. It proved that teachers remained resilient by applying varied strategies such as problem solving, goal setting, extra curriculum lessons and maintaining work-life balance to ensure that teaching and learning occurs

Bibliography: pages 73-82. / Using 262 acknowledged science educators from 41 countries, Bybee developed a scale for measuring the ranked priorities of scientists, and others, with respect to twelve major global problems related to science and technology in 1984. In 1993 this scale was re-administered to samples of 76 Cape Town science educators, 55 Transkei science educators and 129 chemical engineering undergraduates at the University of Cape Town. High correlations ranging from r = 0.68 to r = 0.90 were obtained among the four samples' mean ranked priorities on the scale as a whole, over the ten year period. Among the top six global problems in 1984, five still received consistently high overall prioritisation in 1993, namely: population growth; world hunger and food resources; human health and disease; air quality and atmosphere; and water resources. The mean ranking of war technology as a priority declined by seven places over the ten year period. Educators surveyed in follow-up studies in 1993 made numerous recommendations for teaching these global problems. These included the use of the science-technology-society (STS) approach in science education; the introduction of a core school curriculum on environmental education; the encouragement of student participation in projects which help to reduce or eliminate such global problems; and the re-allocation of money spent on nuclear arms towards the satisfaction of human basic needs such as food, housing, health and water services. In a follow-up survey of twenty lecturers in engineering at the University of Cape Town in 1993 and 1994 important goals and issues singled out by individuals included the provision of mass housing and infrastructure; sanitation; urbanisation; job creation; the abuse of high technology in communications; technological illiteracy among decision makers; abuse and reduction of oceanic resources; photochemical smog; the prediction and possible control of droughts and floods; demands on the human race of the information explosion; electromagnetic wave hazards and pollution; resource depletion education and the dissemination of knowledge; the emergence and separation of C.P. Snow's "Two cultures"; and the myth of the peace dividend. Several of these issues were then subsequently included in 1995 in an updated, modified and extended form of the Bybee Scale. Currently a reliable and validated 15-item Scale -emerging from the findings of this dissertation - is being employed by other research workers in various parts of the new South Africa. During 1995 its chief use has been offering relevant input into, and providing empirical justification for, fundamental aspects of the policy of the current Reconstruction and Development Programme, as set out in the 1995 White Paper of the Government of National Unity.