The purpose of this study was to initiate integration of HIV and AIDS curriculum in / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

This investigation is a case-study of adolescent literacy practices and some of the texts arising from them. Forty-five texts were initially analysed for their generic structure and semiotic composition from within the traditions of the sociolinguistic paradigm. Findings from these two processes of analysis were then reinterpreted from a Deleuzean perspective with the aim of opening out otherwise imperceptible generative forces implicated in differences between the creation of online texts such as MXIT instant messages; Facebook texts and emails, and traditional print-and-paper school based writing. The context for the study was a Pietermaritzburg government girls’ only high school. A mixed-methods approach was used throughout the research process. The sample of twelve learners was purposefully selected from across two grade 9 classes to whom subject-English was taught. The core component of the data is a single writing exercise in which the pupils were asked to write a film appraisal as 1) a MXIT or SMS message; 2) an email; 3) a Facebook message and 4) a conventional film review. There are two major findings from this study. First, in some contexts, adolescents demonstrate a high degree of differentiated control over the structural, linguistic and semiotic composition of their writing in English; second, in online literacy, there is a complex configuration of motivating contextual variables that teenagers co-opt. These generate dynamic forces that serve adolescents’ own social and affective purposes and which can supersede, subvert or cooperate with the stated purpose of a genre. A Deleuzean framework helps reveal the complex processes underlying adolescent literacies and enables the beginning of an interrogation of the pedagogic implications of recent innovations in communication technology and practices. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

The purpose of this study was to extend our knowledge about mathematical literacy learning with the focus on a foundational preservice teacher education module required for prospective teachers. The construct of mathematical proficiency provided a framework for understanding how successful learning depends on a multiplicity of competences, and in particular to highlight the pivotal role of a productive disposition towards mathematics in becoming mathematically literate. The main questions that guided the study were as follows: What is the nature and strength of the productive disposition strand of mathematical proficiency evident in preservice teachers entering a Mathematical Literacy module and how does this productive disposition change over the course of the module? and What pedagogical practices and learning behaviours best enable preservice teachers to achieve mathematical literacy? The study was undertaken as two overlapping case studies, the first describing the preservice teachers at the onset of their studies in the Mathematical Literacy for Educators module, and in the second, a three part story-telling case study of the unfolding of the module over three years from 2003 to 2005. The mathematics autobiographies of 254 preservice teachers and the data obtained from a premodule questionnaire and introductory class activities contributed to the first case study which was summarised in the form of three fictional letters. Written reflections, final module evaluations and the insights of my co-workers contributed to the second case study which documented the successes and struggles of the preservice teachers as the module unfolded each year. Complementary mixed methods techniques were used to analyse the multiple sources of data and to weave strong ropes of evidence to support the findings. Statistical analysis pointed to themes which were supported or tempered by qualitative evidence reported in the voices of the preservice teachers themselves. The analysis revealed that many of the preservice teachers entering the Mathematical Literacy for Educators module had found their school experience of mathematics to be dispiriting and consequently had developed negative dispositions towards the subject. The change in this disposition depended on their success in the module and the empathy shown by the lecturer. Helpful pedagogical practices were found to be those that supported language difficulties in learning mathematics, assisted in organising learning, remediated for poor schooling background in mathematics and took account of the diversity amongst the students. I argue that many of the lessons learned and insights gained from teaching the Mathematical Literacy for Educators module are relevant to the expanding number of mathematics courses required as part of humanities programmes. In addition, they can inform practices at school level and in both in mathematics and mathematical literacy teacher education. / Thesis (PhD.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.

This study had two components: 1) Investigating the conceptual understanding of teachers teaching elementary mathematics at primary schools in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, who had been successful in their mathematics modules in the National Professional Diploma in Education (NPDE) teacher upgrading program, and 2) Investigating the influence of their mathematical lifehistories on their understanding and personal philosophies about mathematics. It firstly required the NPDE students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal to complete a questionnaire adapted from the TELT interview schedule used by Liping Ma (1999). This questionnaire was to assess whether these high scoring teachers had an understanding of basic mathematical concepts that could have been regarded as being profound. The second part of the study was designed in order to get these teachers to examine their mathematical life histories and then to look at how their life histories could have influenced their level of understanding. It was found that these teachers were procedurally capable and were aware of the algorithms that could be used to solve the problems posed, but they lacked deep understanding of the concepts and were thus conceptually weak. None of the teachers demonstrated an understanding of the fundamental mathematics concepts that were assessed, that could be regarded as been ‘profound’. The mathematical life history portion of this study revealed that these teachers, having experienced mathematics education very differently due to their Apartheid influenced education, mentioned that there were definite influences that had a marked effect on their outlook on the subject and thus their belief in their ability to do basic/ fundamental mathematics. / Thesis (M.Ed. (School of Education and Development)) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

Preservice teachers have had a twelve year "apprenticeship of observation" in the practice of teaching and as a consequence have internalised a set of beliefs about Mathematics teaching and learning. These beliefs are usually implicit but nevertheless influence the teaching practice of the preservice teachers to the extent that they "teach as they were taught." A preservice Mathematics Education course, falling as it does between the prospective teachers' experiences as scholars, and their future teaching experience provides an ideal opportunity for preservice teachers to review their personal beliefs prior to carrying them over to teaching practice. In order to facilitate this review, a series of activities was designed as part of a Mathematics Education course for preservice secondary phase Mathematics teachers. These activities provided opportunities for student teachers to examine their beliefs, to discuss and write about these beliefs, to read about the beliefs of others, and finally to decide whether they wished to retain or modify their personal beliefs. Data on the personal theories of the preservice teachers was obtained from the written responses to various critical incidents, from metaphors for the teaching and learning of Mathematics drawn and described by the preservice teachers, and from interviews with selected participants. These theories were classified into qualitatively different categories. After completing several developmental activities and a five week period of classroom teaching, the preservice teachers were invited to reconsider their personal theories and amend their metaphors. This provided evidence of reflection and development in their thinking. It is contended that the personal theories of preservice teachers are not only reflected in their classroom practice but also function as barriers to impede acceptance of novel ideas and innovations. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of the thinking of preservice teachers and inform the development of a curriculum for the Mathematics Education component of a Professional Studies course. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, 1999.

The Advanced Certificate in Education Programme was launched in 2002 at the School of Education, Training and Development, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, in an attempt to upgrade and retrain science educators, given the drastic shortage of qualified science educators in South Africa. This research study investigated the development of scientific literacy within a group of fifteen educators during the first semester of their two-year Advanced Certificate in Education Programme. The study focused on scientific literacy and the relationship between language comprehension skills, readability and scientific literacy. This study aimed to examine whether the Natural Sciences and Biological Sciences module of the Advanced Certificate in Education Programme was effective in raising the level of scientific literacy of educators. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed in the collection of data. Students wrote a pre-test at the beginning of the first semester and the same test was written as the post-test at the end of the first semester. Semi-structured interviews with tutors were also conducted. Responses of students in the Student Evaluation Questionnaire, given at the end of their first year of study, were analysed to ascertain their perceptions about the tutors, their knowledge and understanding of the content and skills of the modules and the learning material. The questions used in the achievement test were adapted from the question bank of the Science Achievement Test used for Grade 8 learners in the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat in 1998/1999. The same achievement test was used in the pre-test and post-test, using questions from the Life Science and Scientific Inquiry and the Nature of Science content areas. The results from this research study indicated that although the level of scientific literacy of educators improved, it was not statistically significant. The study also highlights that language and comprehension skills and inability of students to express their answers in writing hampered their performance in the scientific literacy test. This was demonstrated by the significant positive correlation between language comprehension and readability with scientific literacy. Specific areas of conceptual difficulty were also highlighted in this study. Implications of these findings for further research and delivery of mixed-mode programmes are discussed. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003

At present globalisation has engulfed the world in what has been described as a whirl wind effect, in that is has swirled around the globe and encapsulated it; almost to the extent that the effects of globalisation appear completely inescapable to most nations and citizens. One can assume thus that the influence of globalisation on education, and in particular teacher education, is inevitable. This study focuses on teachers' conceptions of globalisation and its relationship to teacher professional learning with an aim to understand how six teachers exposed to global discourses conceive globalisation and its effect on their professional learning. Given that an effect of globalisation is the merging of various ideas and the exertion of simultaneous influences on such ideas from a variety of sources, a single focus group discussion was used for the generation of dat in this study to produce an environment very similar to the one achieved by globalisation (i.e. an environment in which various ideas are generated simultaneously and are subjected to influences from a variety of sources). From this, rich data emerged highlighting that the teachers in this study have very similar and in some cases very different conceptions of globalisation, teacher professional learning, and the relationship between the two. Interestingly, what stands out is the teachers involved in this study conceive that context, plays an integral role in contemporary teacher learning. The analysis generated theses such as retrogression, inequity, contradictions as well as the experiences of these teachers in learning and not learning. In essence, globalisation and teacher professional learning are shown to be inseparable in this area in which teachers are currently forced to learn for specific contexts and in most cases have to relearn as their contexts change in accordance with the ever evolving nature of globalisation. Indeed teacher professional learning at present is placed under tremendous strain, and so an understanding of the links between globalisation and teacher professional learning is expressed in this study. In addition, what emerges as a plausible solution to the problem of how teacher professional learning may keep up with globalisation, appears to be a need for teachers to take charge of their professional learning and to move away from positions of dependency and passivity to a position of active agency. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2012.

During this explorative journey, I investigated what keeps teachers motivated to learn and develop in their professional practice. I employed Bell and Gilbert’s (1994) model which encapsulates and examines the personal, professional and social aspects of teachers’ development. Within this interpretive paradigm, I offered an understanding of what the impetus for change entailed - from their personal and professional self on their practice and what sustains teachers to continue to negotiate the changes in their daily work. Employing participatory methodology as my methodological research approach, I portray and interpret data that was generated from the teachers’ stories. The methods used to produce the data included life story interviews, photographs and drawings. By composing and reconstructing my participants’ stories, I show how the personal and professional aspects of teacher learning are interactive and interdependent. By retelling stories we can foreground crucial processes in teachers’ development and show what motivates them to learn and develop in their professional practice. Through the reconstructed stories, these particular teachers in this study were able to, through particular social relations and practice, create new meanings and definitions to their professional identity and responsibilities as teachers in a changing schooling context. The findings of the study indicate that within their school context there were many challenges with which teachers were confronted. However, the teachers in this study chose to uplift, inspire and motivate themselves. Although they followed prescribed policies and curriculum, they engaged in certain relationships and enacted certain practices that went beyond their teaching responsibility. The teachers’ initial frustration and restlessness had led to a personal change in their attitudes, values and beliefs. There was an inner desire to bring about change in the personal meanings and definitions of teacher self. Through particular practices and relationships, new thinking, new ideas, new interests and new meanings about the teacher self were invoked. It was through the creative use of these social spaces that teachers cultivated new ideas and new meanings of the kind of teacher they wanted to be for a South African classroom. The teachers engaged in innovative ways in terms of their professional development to bring about change. The teachers indicated that their identity as a teacher was linked to being a learner iii and a researcher. In addition, the relationships of love and care towards learners brought new meaning to their teacher self. It translated into what they were doing in their relationships with learners and the subject/s they taught - this, became a deeply rewarding engagement between the teacher and their work. In response to my main research question, what keeps teachers motivated? These particular teachers were not blind to complexities they faced on a regular basis but against all odds worked within the complexity. Imbued with renewed vigour, hope and love they forge ahead. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2011.

This research focuses on and responds to the neglect of Media Education within teacher education proposals. It is premised upon the importance of Media Education in a democratic society, particularly its role within the curriculum development. Most importantly this research study is aimed to create an informed basis from which to influence both curriculum planners and policy makers of colleges of education to include Media Education as a core component of the programme for student teachers at those colleges of education. As the starting point of this research, the following definition is accepted: Media Education (as the word suggests) attempts to educate about media, to construct a critical approach to information offered by the media, to contextualise those agencies that produce media. The role attached to Media Education is to develop and nurture critical abilities of learners, to nurture autonomous thinkers who approach information not as transparent, but as constructions that are selective and partial (Prinsloo 1994: 19). Research was conducted at Umbumbulu College of Education to seek information about the understanding of Media Education of lecturers at the college. The results of the survey indicated that: • There is a lack of understanding and familiarity with Media Education by lecturers. • Lecturers constantly confuse Media Education with the use of media as a teaching resource. • Lecturers have not been exposed to literature and texts which are related to Media Education. • In terms of the role of Media Education in developing critical understandings of media, lecturers experienced difficulty with the concepts of 'critical understandings' and critical thinking. • Within the college there is no coherent strategy in the form of modules, worksheets, and syllabi that are specifically designed for Media Education. In view of the above, this research proposes a development of a Media Education curriculum to be developed as a speciality subject which can be taught along with other fields of study at a teacher training college. This initiative locates Media Education as an intervention that proposes critical pedagogy. To enable this, lecturers and curriculum developers of the college need to recognise the value of Media Education and to familiarise themselves with Media Education as this is a new field of study within traditional black teacher institutions. The research finally recommends both ongoing professional development of college lecturers interested in Media Education as well as collaboration with other educators who have expertise in and knowledge of Media Education. It proposes that Media Education be offered at all levels of study within the college, from Pre-Primary level to Secondary level of study as a speciality course in its own right. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, Durban, 1996.

Teacher education in South Africa has had to be overhauled in line with the reform of the South African school curriculum since 1996. Both initial and continuous teacher qualification programmes are constantly being reviewed to improve impact on prospective and currently practising teachers. In addition, efforts are being made to scale up non-qualification continuous professional development programmes for better implementation of the curriculum. Despite these endeavours, there is evidence that continuous professional development programmes in particular, are not responding adequately to the needs of the teachers and the education system in general. This is partly due to the failure by the system to differentiate between the needs of different groups of teachers who received their initial teacher education in racially segregated teacher education institutions. This research study aims to determine what teachers of Life Sciences perceive as their development needs, and how these needs are addressed through various forms of in-service teacher education, both formal and informal. Life Sciences is the name of the subject called Biology in the pre-reform curriculum. It is offered only in the final three years of schooling, Grades 10 – 12. The Life Sciences curriculum has experienced at least three revisions in a period of six years since the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement in 2006. Data was gathered in two phases, using mixed methods approaches. During the first phase, data was collected using a teacher questionnaire. The questionnaire dealt with teachers’ content and pedagogical development needs; their participation in both qualification and nonqualification CPD programmes; their motivation (or lack of) to engage in CPD programmes; and the perceived benefits of CPD programmes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Subject Advisors dealing with similar themes. During the second phase of the study, intervention programmes in the form of teacher training workshops were conducted and data was gathered through documenting the workshop activities and by conducting evaluations. Findings revealed that whilst a large proportion of Life Sciences teachers were furthering their studies through formal qualifications, they were not necessarily choosing Biological Sciences specialisations. A considerable proportion of teachers in the study were teaching out of their field of specialisation. These limitations likely account for teachers’ low selfconfidence, articulated as a strong need for development in almost every area of the content and pedagogy. Teachers that choose Biological Sciences specialisations in formal in-service qualifications seem to be benefiting significantly. Life Sciences teachers also benefit immensely from ‘hands on’ training in practical work skills rather than using passive, demonstration methods of training. Cluster-based CPD programmes present an ideal opportunity for teachers to learn and share knowledge and expertise in content and pedagogy, yet this platform is constrained mainly to development of assessment activities. Filling vacant posts and increasing the number of Subject Advisors is critical to ensuring that teachers received adequate support from districts. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2014.