M. Tech. Education, Tshwane University of Technology, 2010.

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published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

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This thesis was an attempt to better understand what it would take for faculty development decision makers to promote faculty vitality more effectively in British Columbia community colleges. First, it was necessary to examine governmental expectations and objectives for the entire system. Next, a review of the complex terminology used to describe multiple aspects of faculty development was presented. This was followed by an extensive review of the literature on the subject, going back to its early development through to the year 1992. This review revealed the existence of considerable diversity throughout the field. In an effort to somewhat rationalize what faculty development pursuits had come to, a comprehensive model was developed and put to the test with a sampling of decision makers employed at two-year institutions. The model served as a base for the development of an integrated questionnaire which featured an elaborated checklist of potential faculty development activities. Respondents were asked to provide strategic as well as operational information as it related to the developmental needs of regular full-time faculty members. The study's inductive findings supported the model well, enabling an analysis of its implications regarding theory, research, and practice.

This study of science teachers in a Philippine state school explored the potential of group discussions as a learning landscape considering, in particular, how sharing of teaching experiences may contribute to professional growth. The study was conducted from July 1997 to January 1998. The main objectives were to gain an understanding of the influence of social interactions in improving the practice of individual teachers; and to explore how Filipino culture affects the interaction process. The setting of the study was the science department at a state school (K-10) in the Philippines. A discussion group was established to explore how teacher interaction might serve to raise awareness and shape classroom practice. The group discussions and individual interviews were videotaped and audiotaped, respectively. Group discussion as an intervention of the study provided an opportunity to examine how certain Filipino cultural traits and traditions may influence the participation of teachers in the interaction process. Qualitative analyses of the data provided information about the nature, value, benefits, and constraints of group discussions in learning to teach. The findings suggest that improvement in teaching is a collective rather than an individual enterprise and that teaching happens best in concert with colleagues (Rosenholtz, 1989); that collaboration is linked with norms and opportunities for continuous improvement and career-long learning (Fullan, 1991); that by interacting collaboratively, strengths can be maximized, weaknesses can be minimized, and the result will be better for all (Friend & Cook, 1992); that a learning forum free from traditional restraints is instructive (Krupnick, 1997); and that the field of education needs to capitalize on the knowledge of teachers who know about education as few others do (Duckworth, 1997). The researcher argues that Filipino culture plays a significant role in the dynamics of interaction occurring during group discussions. Recognizing and identifying this role is important if we wish to provide the teachers with the support, reassurance, and strength that their school and work demand.

Using a qualitative case study approach, the purpose of the study was to explore the nature of the practical knowledge about teaching constructed by physical education preservice teachers during their practicum experience, that is, to gain insights into the 'sense making' process in which preservice teachers engage as they learn to teach during this experience. In addition, the study examined the factors which enhance or constrain this constructive process. The data analysis was guided by two research questions: What is the nature of the practical knowledge about teaching constructed by physical education preservice teachers during their practicum experience?; and what factors influence (enhance or constrain) the development of this knowledge during the practicum experience? The study was situated within the everyday experiences of four physical education preservice teachers as they completed an extended (thirteen week) practicum in secondary school settings. The methods used to collect data were those associated with qualitative case studies. They included lesson observations, in-depth interviewing, video and stimulated recall sessions of lessons taught by the participants, and journal writing. Separate cases have been written for each of the four participants, while the final chapter discusses the substantive issues that have arisen from the study. There were a number of conclusions that emerged from the study. With regards to the nature of practical knowledge constructed by preservice teachers the findings include its thematic development, the dynamic transformation of 'knowing that' into 'knowing how', how practical knowledge was evident but rarely heard in the practice of preservice teachers, and the role of each participant's image of himself or herself as a physical educator. A number of factors were identified that enhanced or constrained this process. These factors include prior coaching experiences, the role of sponsor teachers, the impact of university faculty advisors, video and stimulated recall sessions, and the teaching of a second subject by each participant. The study concludes by outlining a number of implications for teacher education. First, it suggests that during their teacher education program preservice teachers need to be taught how to learn from experience and that sponsor teachers have a key role to play in this process. Second, that biography has a significant impact in directing what and how preservice teachers learn about teaching during a practicum and that preservice teachers must be encouraged to examine and look beyond their own experiences when learning how to teach.

This research study is an exploration of the self-directed professional development of teachers, teaching in public schools in an era of democracy and educational change in South Africa. Amidst an ever-changing educational system, these teachers - Mbeje, Shabeer, Carolina, Shakila and Tasneem - position themselves as self-directed teacher-learners. As self-directed teacher-learners they adopt particular learning practices which enable change within the broader discourses of public schooling. Life-story interviews were used to enter into the public and private spaces of these five teachers which offered me glimpses of how particular systems shaped their identities, and how the meanings of teacher-learner shaped their learning practices. I employed the thematic restorying approach to represent the narratives. Through collaboration with the teachers in this study, I identified critical moments in their lives which shaped their self-directed learning for change within the broader discourses of public schooling. The reconstructed narratives are located within the social, political and educational systems of apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa Positioning this study in the critical paradigm, I developed a multi-layered framework of analysis and interpretation. I offer my interpretations of the stories through three lenses: restorying the field texts - the self through story; the teacher-learner in relation to socio-cultural contexts, and practices of self-directed learning. This study shows that as teacher-learners learn for change through self-directed learning , they develop their agency as transformative intellectuals, which is necessary for the reworking of South African public schools. Self-directed learning is critical for the transformation of the teacher-learner: as their race, class and gender meanings are disrupted for new meanings of teacher- learner. In their becoming they consciously and subconsciously create a “new professional teacher-learner” for South African public schooling. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

This study investigated the attitudes of Grade One teachers in Pietermaritzburg to the training they have received on Outcomes Based Education (OBE). A questionaire was developed by the researcher from documentation used in the training that took the form of various workshop sessions. The study comprised 47 Grade One teachers drawn from 18 primary schools in Pietermaritzburg. This study attempted to determine the following issues: • The attitudes of Grade One teachers to the training they have received • Whether there were any significant differences in the attitudes of Grade One teachers from the various ex-Departments of Education to the training they have received on OBE A five point rating scale namely the Likert Scale was used to determine the attitudes of teachers. A descriptive analysis was initially employed to determine the percentagew:futeachers that strongly agreed, agreed, were uncertain, disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statements in the questionaire. The results revealed that the majority of teachers agreed that the training had provided them with an understanding of various aspects of OBE. However, some teachers did state that they were uncertain on certain issues like the Foundation Phase policy document as well as the policy document on assessment, assessment itself and the compilation of portfolios and progress reports to be submittted to relevant persons. The area of resources was also highlighted as being problematic. Teachers disagreed that they were informed on how to use educational resources in accordance with OBE as well as where and how to obtain these resources. A descriptive analysis was also undertaken to determine what percentage of teachers from each eX-department felt about each statement in the questionaire. Results revealed that only teachers from the ex-NED schools strongly agreed with most of the statements, whilst the highest percentage of teachers that were uncertain came from ex-DET schools. A statistical analysis was employed to determine whether significant differences existed in the attitudes ofteachers from the various ex-departments of education. The statistical report revealed that only four statements were significant namely the issue of the OBE assessment policy document, the Foundation Phase policy document, the compilation of Journals and progress records. Recommendations were made for further training in these areas as well as further research. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

The introduction of Curriculum 2005 brought about fundamental changes to our education system. Apartheid education was replaced by a new democratic education. Although the changes in education were necessary to redress the imbalances of the past, the implementation became a mammoth task for the department of education. To meet the deadline dates for delivery of the new curriculum the department of education engaged itself in professional development activities for teachers to ensure that all teachers were familiar with the new curriculum. Due to time constraints, the cascading model under the umbrella of Managerial Professionalism became the most popular model for teacher development. The intention of the Department of Education was to see changes taking place in education that benefited the teachers in their development and this in turn will have a positive impact on the learners they teach. The purpose of this study is to explore the teacher development experiences of Visual Arts teachers through managerial professionalism teacher development processes. Through semi-structured interviews and questionnaires Visual Art teachers saw little benefit in one day one-off Professional Development Activities (PDAs). The findings showed that there was no interaction between teachers at these PDAs and that their needs were not being met. The approach in the one day one-off PDAs were more information meetings and did not meet the needs for teacher development. However they did mention that they preferred the three day and five day PDAs because there was time for PDAs to take place. They also preferred to work in a contrived collegial environment because of the scarcity of Visual Arts teachers in the province. In most of these state-driven PDAs the teacher’s voice is not heard. There is no time for teacher reflection. The duration of these state-driven PDAs only allows for information dissemination and teacher’s contexts, culture and language is not given consideration. The ‘one size fits all approach’ is being employed. Teachers want to have a greater say in how their development is being constructed. They are happy to work with the department of education on teacher development but it must be a negotiated and combined effort and not a top-down approach. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.