M.Ed. / Following the ascendance to power of a democratically elected government in South Africa, many things had to be restructured to fit the realities of the time. Education was one of the areas where many changes occurred. The previous education system was replaced with a new system dubbed Curriculum 2005. The new system was outcomes based. Environment is one of the themes included in the new education curriculum which was not in the previous education system. Environment is a cross-curricular theme in the new education system which means it is taught in all the learning areas. Each educator or teacher is expected to integrate the theme in their areas of specialisation. This has compelled the government departments, institutions of higher learning and NGOs to retrain teachers to cope with this challenge. The implementation of Curriculum 2005 is in its third year now. Despite the training efforts that has been put in, teachers still find it difficult to cope with. This study explores the causes of the problems experienced in the formal education system in an attempt to implement EE. Chapter one.(1) outlines the problem and claims that teachers' problems in implementing EE in schools in South Africa emanates from their training. It also outlines the social problems associated with the current problems in formal education if they are not checked. The chapter concludes that it in important for the study to be undertaken so as to isolate the problems that stifle the progress in implementing this theme. Chapter two (2) reviews existing literature in teacher education, theories of learning and environmental education. The links between community education are also reviewed. The chapter attempts to establish whether the existing theory is considered in the practice of EE. An array of problems are revealed as contributing to the current problems affecting the implementation of EE in schools in South Africa and worldwide. The chapter concludes that there is a gap between theory and practice. In chapter three (3) an attempt is made to collect data from the field using four methods namely: oral interview, group focus interview, document analysis and observation. The chapter elaborates how this was done and how the relevant data was collected in order to support or refute the claim made in chapter one. In chapter four (4), data is categorised, coded and analysed. The data is then discussed. It is discovered that field data strongly supports literature reviewed in chapter two (2). The chapter concludes that there are problems that hinder the effective implementation of EE in formal education in South Africa and makes a number of recommendations to be implemented urgently for the situation to be arrested.

M.Ed. (Education) / Lecturers at technical colleges mostly come from industry and consequently they seldom have experience of teaching or the necessary qualifications to teach. As the educational profession has no formal and compulsory induction into the profession, beginner lecturers are put directly into class and are expected to teach. Although these lecturers have the required subject knowledge, they definitely lack the necessary didactical skills or methodology of education. Due to "swim-or-sink" attitude, beginner lecturers experience unique problems that place them under tremendous pressure and stress. The aim of this study was focused on the grounding of guidelines that could be used in designing an induction programme for beginner lecturers at a technical college. The methods used in grounding these guidelines for induction at a technical college were: * a relevant study of literature that was conducted into three induction programmes used in various sectors of the industry, to enquire more knowledge with regard to the design and function of these programmes; a literature and empirical study of the experienced needs and problems of beginner lectures when entering the teaching profession. A qualitative research approach was used to conduct a study in which the needs and problems of beginner lecturers in a specific technical college were identified by means of structured interviews. The lecturers that participated in this inquiry were asked to describe their experiences related to their needs and problems when they entered the teaching profession. From the analysed data the following needs and problems were identified:...

M.Ed. / This study explores how digital video conferencing (DVC) supports the teaching and learning of Deaf learners providing access to an appropriate curriculum. Whilst there are policies addressing the educational needs of the Deaf in South Africa, there are still gaps between policy and practice, as a result there are not enough visible results that ensure equal access and equal opportunities. The lack of visual educational technologies that support the delivery of instruction in schools for the Deaf in South Africa create barriers to effective teaching and learning. The main aim of this study is, how does digital video conferencing support the teaching and learning of Deaf. Also, the experiences of Deaf learners who are exposed to digital video conferencing technologies will be described. The findings will be used to make recommendations for improving the teaching and learning strategies in Deaf education. This study also examines how Digital Video Conferencing and related educational technologies support the teaching and learning of Deaf learners. According to DEAFSA, 2002, 14.43% of learners within special educational needs are Deaf. In my 14 years experience in Deaf education, and 11 years as principal of the school for Deaf learners, I have found that barriers exist in Deaf learners who are part of the system. The constructivist theory which focuses on the individual in the learning process, will be used in this study. This study proves that Digital video conferencing intervention can minimize the barriers that exist in Deaf education and afford learners the opportunity to participate in and make use of their natural language, that is South African Sign Language. The qualitative research design is therefore most appropriate for this study, since the focus is to obtain data that could facilitate an understanding of the experience of Deaf learners, whose teaching and learning sites are supported using digital video conferencing technologies. The video recorded responses from Deaf participants increased the validity of the data. The participants in this study are twelve grade 10 (N1) Deaf learners from Tshwane north. The participants being Deaf learners in this research project receive instruction as activities from their educator using DVC. The findings revealed that DVC liberates learners with special needs and their teachers, especially, opening up opportunities for the Deaf in particular. DVC technology must be seen as an educational tool to support the delivery of the exciting National Curriculum Statements (NCS) curriculum, and more importantly, supports the communicative modes of the Deaf, and in doing, so improves the status of Deaf education in South Africa Finally this new role requires the educator of the Deaf to assume responsibility for creating within Deaf learners a desire to learn (Storbeck, 1998). In doing so, using DVC technologies would foster an ethos of achievement among Deaf learners. DVC technology provides exactly what the Deaf have been waiting for, that is educational technologies that would support the acquisition of their natural language, South African Sign Language. The use of DVC technology in the teaching and learning of Deaf learners in South Africa is a new concept, therefore it is necessary for the teacher of the Deaf to use instructional methods that motivate learners and encourage active learning. / Prof. J. Pillay

M. Ed. (Science Education) / South African Life Sciences teachers have been subjected to three policy changes during the past six years. The first new curriculum was implemented in 2006, and when it was found that this curriculum lacked sufficient botany content, a new version of the curriculum was implemented in 2009. Following this, a new curriculum was being implemented in 2012 in all subjects, leaving Life Sciences teachers fatigued as a result of all the professional development workshops they had to attend each year. One principle of the new curriculum was that teachers had to use a constructivist approach to teaching, but research had found that this was not the case in South African classrooms. Furthermore, research also showed that some South African teachers lacked the necessary content and pedagogical knowledge to teach science to grade 12 learners. The aim of this study was to see whether teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge could be improved by the use of communities of practice over a period of time. The content that was focused on was DNA, protein synthesis, meiosis and genetics, as these topics were flagged as problematic topics in the National Senior Certificate examinations in 2008. A generic qualitative design was used as this research was situated in an interpretive framework. The genre of the research was phenomenology with design based elements. Before the intervention started, teachers had to complete a questionnaire and this questionnaire had to be completed again after the intervention. Interviews and feedback tools were used to obtain teachers’ views on these communities of practice. The interviews also had a section that pertained to teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge. Structured classroom observations were used to see whether teachers were implementing a constructivist approach when teaching the content. It also served as a method to ascertain whether the activities done during the community of practice sessions were implemented into classroom practice. It was found that communities of practice are an effective way of developing teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge, but that it should be continuous and would be more v effective over a longer period of time. Teachers also enjoyed these meetings, shared resources and motivated each other. Another finding of this research was that teachers did not implement a constructivist approach to their teaching as required by the new curriculum, even though they indicated that they preferred this approach to teaching. A recommendation of this research is that teachers’ professional development should take place in an informal community of practice where teachers could share ideas and resources. A keystone species is required for these communities of practice to stay sustainable. These communities of practice should be implemented on a continuous basis in order to have a positive effect on teachers’ practice.

Ph.D. / The purpose of this study was to investigate the ways in which Social Network Analysis can be used to enhance the conitinuous professional development of the Mathematics teachers of a secondary school. With this in mind a literature study was first undertaken in order to clarify exactly what is meant by a Social Network Analysis perspective, online social networks and the continuous professional development of teachers. The study was framed in a Multi Method Mixed Methods framework to enable the integration of a Design Based (DBR) study and Social Network Analysis (SNA) in different phases of the overarching research. The purpose of the DBR study was to design and develop an online social network to provide the Mathematics teachers of sufficient opportunities for continuous professional development. The assumtion was made that the online social network will develop into a Learn 2.0 technology if a) it could provide access to appropriate content, b) teachers could use it to develop own professional development opportunities, c) it could provide opportunities for collaboration between the teachers and d) if it could provide opportunities to connect with those teachers who could contribute their Professional Development. This study refers to the ties which were used to enable the flow of information, knowledge, advice, leadership, support, experience and concrete artefacts (documents) as a teachers’ Personal Development Network. From a SNA perspective the personal development networks of the teachers cannot be fully understood without studying the social network in which these ties are embedded. I refer to this network as the Development Network. The development network is at any given point a stable social construct, but it changes as soon as new ties vii are formed or old ties disintegrate. Therefore a Social Network Analysis was done before, during and after the intervention to explore the development network to understand, explain and predict the effectiveness of CPTD. The findings show that DPO.com (the online social network) provided the teachers of sufficient CPTD opportunities and developed during the course of the study into a Learn 2.0 technology. It also shows that SNA provides an effective method to understand and predict the CPTD of the Mathematics teachers.

The purpose of this study was to explore how teachers’ practice either supports or constrains learners’ conceptual understanding. The study is structured within an interpretive paradigm. The research takes the form of a case study and focused on the teaching practice of two purposefully selected teachers who had been identified as being effective/successful practitioners. The data was collected in two stages. In the first stage, qualitative data was collected by video recording six classroom lessons, three for each of the two participating teachers. In stage 2, participating teachers were individually interviewed. In these interviews the two participating teachers were asked to reflect on their classroom practice, through a process of stimulated recall, where their actions seemed to either support or constrain the development of learners’ conceptual understanding. The study identified a number of elements of the two teachers’ practice that related to the development of learners’ conceptual understanding in the classroom. These include building on learners’ prior knowledge, the use of concrete manipulatives, questioning that promotes critical thinking, and the use of multiple representations and connections. The study also identified elements of the two teachers’ practice that had the potential to constrain the development of learners’ conceptual understanding. These include the lack of opportunities for co-operative or peer-oriented learning, the absence of questioning that leads to discussion, and a scarcity of activities that build mathematical concepts through hands-on engagement. The study highlights the need for supporting teachers and helping them strengthen their practice with regard to those activities that support the development of conceptual understanding in their learners.

This investigation is primarily concerned with the In-Service Education and Training (INSET) needs of primary school mathematics educators. The research is grounded in the proposition that in order for senior primary mathematics educators to keep abreast with the current knowledge explosion and rapid rate of technological growth, they are under serious obligation to improve their expertise, knowledge and skills in mathematics teaching and learning through INSET. Pre-Service Education and Training (PRESET) serves only as preparation for entry into the teaching profession and cannot last the whole teaching career. INSET is thus necessary for the senior primary mathematics educator’s continuing education. In this investigation an attempt is made at establishing a framework for INSET and mathematics educators. It is hoped that these theoretical frameworks will enable mathematics educators to cope with the changing needs of senior primary mathematics education. There is no doubt that the developments of senior primary mathematics education and INSET in the United Kingdom can have a profound effect on the senior primary mathematics education in South Africa. The extent to which the developments in the United Kingdom influences the educational initiatives presently being undertaken in South Africa will depend upon those who teach senior primary mathematics and those who are responsible for the provision of INSET of senior primary mathematics educators. The past South African discriminatory policies led to numerous iniquities in the provision of mathematics materials and development of mathematical human resources. Consequently, there is a large number of unqualified and under-qualified mathematics educators especially amongst Blacks in South Africa. It is through INSET that this condition can be rectified. A questionnaire survey revealed that senior primary mathematics educators are fully conscious of the importance and significance of INSET. The recommendations made for the INSET of primary school mathematics educators based on the literature survey and the empirical investigation are: the need to establish a national and provincial policy for the INSET of primary school mathematics educators; there must be a concerted effort to establish school focused INSET; many of the methods of INSET courses emphasizing the participative approach needs to be explored; the value of teachers’ centres as exciting brokers for new ideas and as networks for personnel proves invaluable and finally, pivotal to the INSET of primary school mathematics educators is the need for them to update their in-depth knowledge of mathematics. There is no doubt that the INSET of primary school mathematics educators is a crucial factor in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). It is clear from this research that INSET for both academic and professional upgrading of the senior primary mathematics educators and the improvement of mathematics teaching and learning I the primary school is only limited by one’s imagination. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Humanities Education / MEd / Unrestricted

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. / Education, Faculty of / Educational Studies (EDST), Department of / Graduate

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. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Contented, motivated and well-trained subject teachers are a basic requirement for the effective functioning of the Department of Economic Sciences. Within this department the quality of the in-service training provided by the Head of Department will be a high priority. A prerequisite for the successful accomplishment of his task as in service trainer and developer of staff members is, amongst other things, the managerial application of in-service training strategies. In this education environment, the Head of Department finds himself in a prescribed management, leadership and trainer situation. Though he has not been formally trained for this delegated task of in-service training, he is directly involved in personnel management. It is clear, however, that in most organisations in-service training and staff development do not receive the required attention from those in leadership positions. Moreover, some Heads of Department experience difficulty in practicing effective leadership and guidance because of a lack of management expertise. In order to ensure both quality teaching in his department and efficient execution of his in-service training task he has to apply managerial skills. Thus this investigation proves that the Head of Department should not only be professionally equipped, but should also possess certain managerial skills in order to be able to undertake the in-service training of his staff. Staff training further indicates the management of people, each with their own unique needs and specific capabilities. It seems that members of staff can be motivated towards better work and self-realization. It is thus imperative that the Head of Department should be informed as to the various theories regarding motivation and that he should apply the principles involved. The investigation also shows that practicing leadership is a critical factor which influences the effective execution of the staff training task. Various approaches to leadership have shown that, although the leadership style may be situation bound, it is the democratic style which creates an open, supportive school climate.