Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An analysis of a teacher development programme known as the Cluster Project is central to this research. Study of the form, processes and outcomes of the project model draws attention to teacher professional development (TPD) as a critical strategy for improving science education in primary schools. High quality teaching at the foundational level supports children develop the appropriate level of knowledge that would allow them to take up and succeed at science at higher levels. With the object of strengthening primary science education the Primary Science Programme (PSP) implements a Cluster Project in Western Cape schools. The project model offers training workshops, classroom guidance and essential resources to support teachers develop both their knowledge and teaching competencies to teach science well. Training workshops are designed to build teachers’ understanding of critical science concepts, improve science content knowledge, and offers guidance with curriculum implementation and assessment of learning. In-classroom support and team-teaching, supported with teaching and learning materials and other resources, assists with improving teaching practice in context. This interpretive case study analyses the Cluster Project model and its processes within three theoretical frames: activity theory, complexity theory, and a research-developed qualitative framework to trace teacher professional development. Activity theory is applied to the purpose, organization and function of the Cluster Project, while complexity theory probes the meaning and implications of educational change for teachers and TPD. The qualitative framework with its five critical indicators of autonomy, knowledge, practice, and collaboration and continuing development analyses empirical evidence of TPD with respect to six teacher participants. Activity theory draws attention to the use of flexible adaptive teacher professional learning models which can accommodate frequent change to curriculum and context, and further highlights the importance of promoting collaboration and reducing contradictions in order to improve learning outcomes. Complexity theory expands understanding of teacher professional learning through its focus on the critical concepts of pedagogy, holism, learning as a nonlinear process, the unpredictability of teaching and learning, networking and connectedness, change by emergence and self-organization, changing environments, and teacher development programmes as open, complex adaptive systems. This research observed the six teacher participants were able to improve aspects of their teaching of science, thereby achieving a measure of professional development, although this was not a general observation within the Cluster Project teacher population. Research findings show that teachers’ active participation in meaningful practical science experiences promotes teacher learning, improves practical science in the classroom, and encourages the ready take-up of helpful and innovative science teaching ideas and strategies. This research recommends that practical science teaching, integrated with language and mathematics teaching, should form an essential part of education and training programmes for both pre-service and in-service primary and high school science teachers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die analise van`n onderwyser-ontwikkelingsprogram, bekend as die Groepsondersteunings Projek, is die kern van diè navorsing. Studie van die vorm, prosesse en uitkomste van die projekmodel, vestig die aandag op onderwysers se professionele ontwikkeling as `n kritiese strategie vir die verbetering van wetenskaponderrig in primêre skole. Hoë gehalte onderwys in die grondslagfase, ondersteun die kinders se ontwikkeling op `n geskikte vlak van kennis wat hulle in staat sal stel om wetenskap verder te neem en daarvan `n sukses te maak op senior vlak. Met die doel om wetenskaponderrig te versterk in die primêre skool, implimenteer die Primêre Wetenskap Program (PSP) tans `n Groepsondersteunings Projek in die Wes-Kaapse skole. Die model voorsien opleiding deur slypskole, klaskamerleiding en noodsaaklike leerhulpmiddels om onderwysers se kennis en onderrigvaardigheid, om wetenskap as vak goed te onderrig, te ontwikkel. Opleidingsslypskole fokus daarop om onderwysers se begrip van kritiese wetenskaplike konsepte en opgradering van wetenskapinhoudskennis op te bou en ook om te help om die kurrikulum te implimenteer en kinders se leerwerk te assesseer. Klaskamer ondersteuning en span-onderrig, met die hulp van onderrig-en leerhulpmiddels, help met die verbetering van die onderwyspraktyk in konteks. Diè interpreterende gevallestudie analiseer die Groepondersteunings Projek model en die prosesse binne drie teoretiese raamwerke, die aktiwiteits-teorie, kompleksiteits-teorie en `n stel aanwysers wat ontwikkel is om bewyse van onderwysers se professionele ontwikkeling te ontleed. Die aktiwiteits-teorie is toegepas op die doel, organisering en funksie van die Projek, terwyl die kompleksiteits-teorie die betekenis en implikasies van die opvoedkundige verandering vir onderwysers en onderwysers se professionele ontwikkeling ondersoek. Die stel aanwysers met vyf kritiese fokuspunte: outonomie, kennis, praktyk, samewerking en voortdurende ontwikkeling, lei die analise van ses onderwyser-deelnemers se professionele ontwikkeling. Die aktiwiteits-teorie beklemtoon die belangrikheid van aanpasbare professionele leermodelle wat gereelde verandering aan die konteks en kurrikulum kan akkommodeer, en beklemtoon ook die belangrikheid om samewerking bevorder, teenstrydigheid te verminder en om sodoende die leeruitkomste te versterk. Die kompleksiteits-teorie verbreed die insig van onderwyser se professionele leer deur die fokus te plaas op die kritiese konsepte van pedagogiek; holisme; leer as `n nie-lineêre proses; die onvoorspelbaarheid van onderrig en leer; netwerk en aaneenskakeling; verandering deur die ontstaan en self-organisasie; veranderende omgewings en onderwyser-ontwikkelingsplanne as oop, komplekse aanpasbare stelsels. Diè navorsing het waargeneem dat die ses onderwyser-deelnemers in staat was om aspekte van hul wetenskap-onderrig te verbeter en sodoende was hulle in staat om `n mate van professionele ontwikkeling te behaal alhoewel dit nie `n algemene waarneming binne die Groepsondersteunings Projek se onderwyspopulasie was nie. Navorsingsbevindings dui aan dat onderwysers se aktiewe deelname aan betekenisvolle, praktiese wetenskapondervindings, leer kan bevorder en begrip kan bevorder van `n praktiese implimentering daarvan in die klaskamer en moedig die geredelike opname van nuttige en innoverende leer-idees en strategieë aan. Die navorsing beveel aan dat praktiese wetenskap-onderrig, integreer met tale en wiskunde, `n noodsaaklike deel moet vorm van onderwys-en opleidingsprogramme vir voor-diens en in-diens primêre en hoërskool wetenskaponderwysers.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Change characterises life in the early twenty first century and higher education is no exception. Higher education in South Africa is currently in a considerable state of flux which ultimately is actualised at institutional level. It is academic staff who encounter these changes first hand. Technikon lecturers, in particular, are faced with additional challenges not faced by their university counterparts - they have been called upon to change from a primarily vocational to an academic alignment as a result of technikons being given the right to award degrees. This study conducts a cross sectional survey of academic staff at the Port Elizabeth Technikon to identify their academic workload, with particular reference to their research function. It also seeks to establish whether lecturers consider themselves to be adequately prepared for their research function. A review of the literature reveals that lecturers in higher education are involved in a wide variety of activities, the main ones being teaching, research, service, and scholarship. The literature review also shows that in overseas institutions with missions similar to the technikons, lecturers experienced changes to their workload as a result of the restructuring of higher education. The empirical study shows that academic staff at the Port Elizabeth Technikon have much in common with their international peers in terms of the changes and pressures that have been experienced. The work reality for lecturers at the named institution includes all the traditional elements associated with being academic: teaching, research, service and scholarship. Although research is a new function, this has been positively embraced by most staff and that in most cases lecturers consider themselves to be adequately prepared for this function. The empirical study also shows that more than one third of the respondents do not support the institutional vision of becoming "the first choice technological university of South Africa". Further, the study shows that, in common with other studies, staff were of the opinion that the institution undervalues teaching and that research attracts more recognition and rewards. Finally, it shows that significant numbers of staff work in excess of 50 hours per week and carry teaching loads that are greater than the institutional guidelines. Recommendations are made on the basis of these findings and a further avenue of research is suggested. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verandering is 'n kenmerk van die lewe in die vroee een-en-twintigste eeu en hoer onderwys is geen uitsondering nie. Hoer onderwys in Suid-Afrika ervaar tans 'n besonderse toe stand van veranderlikheid, maar dit is uiteindelik op onderwysinrigtingvlak wat did tot verwerkliking kom. Dit is akademiese personeel wat hierdie veranderings eerstehands ondervind. In die besonder word Technikonpersoneel gekonfronteer met uitdagings waaraan hulle universiteitsewekniee nie blootgestel word nie - daar word van hulle vereis om van 'n primere beroeps-orientering oor te skakel na 'n akademiese ingesteldheid as gevolg van die feit dat technikons die mandaat verkry het om grade toe te ken. Hierdie studie het 'n opname onder akademiese personeel aan die Port Elizabethse Technikon gedoen om vas te stel wat die personeel se akademiese werkslading is, met besondere verwysing na hulle navorsingsfunksie. Die ondersoek poog ook om vas te stel of lektore van mening is dat hulle genoegsaam voorberei is vir hulle navorsingsfunksie. 'n Literatuuroorsig toon dat lektore in hoer onderwys betrokke is by 'n bree verskeidenheid aktiwiteite, waarvan die belangrikste onderrig, navorsing, dienslewering en vakkundigheid (scholarship) is. Die literatuurstudie toon ook dat in ander lande aan inrigtings met soortgelyke doelstellings as die technikons, lektore veranderings in hulle werksladings ondervind het as gevolg van die herstrukturering van hoer onderwys wat teen die einde van die twintigste eeu plaasgevind het. Die empiriese studie toon dat akademiese personeel aan die Port Elizabethse Technikon met betrekking tot die veranderings en druk wat ondervind word veel in gemeen het met hulle intemasionale ewekniee, Die realiteit in die werkplek vir lektore by genoemde inrigting sluit al die tradisionele elemente in wat verband hou met die akademie: onderrig, navorsing, diens en vakkundigheid (scholarship). Alhoewel navorsing 'n nuwe funksie is, is dit deur die meerderheid personeel positief aanvaar en in die meeste gevalle is lektore van mening dat hulle vir hierdie funksie voldoende voorberei is. Die empiriese studie toon ook dat meer as een derde van die respondente nie die institusionele visie om "die eerste-keuse tegnologiese universiteit van Suid-Afrika te wees" ondersteun rue. Voorts toon die studie soos ook in ander studies, dat personeel van mening was dat die inrigting onderrig geringskat en dat meer erkenning en belonings aan navorsing gegee word. Laastens toon dit dat 'n beduidende aantal personeellede meer as 50 uur per week werk- en onderrigladings dra wat meer is as die riglyne van die inrigting. Op grond van hierdie bevindings word aanbevelings gemaak en 'n verdere navorsingsrigting voorgestel.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the perception of Creative Arts educators in the Intermediate Phase with regard to their own competency levels to teach Creative Arts effectively. Creative Arts consists of four art forms, namely Dance, Music, Drama and Visual Arts. The ideal is that all Creative Art educators are competent enough to teach the different art forms effectively. To answer the research question in order to achieve the goal of the study, the researcher made use of a qualitative research design from within an interpretive research paradigm. A case study strategy has also been applied by the researcher in order to obtain data pertaining to the specific aspect of the study, namely Creative Arts educators. Various sources were used to generate the data, namely semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and document analysis. Various precautionary measures were taken to ensure the validity and reliability of the data. During the course of the investigation, ethical issues were in question. However, the researcher followed the necessary guidelines to ensure that all endeavours were ethically acceptable. In the literature study the curriculum review process as well as the inclusion of Arts and Culture and Creative Arts in the curriculum is analysed. The training of Creative Arts educators and the challenges that this subject poses to schools and other mainstream educators are also considered. It was established that mainstream educators are often unable to teach this subject with the required confidence, knowledge and skills. Taking the results of this study into account, it appears that Creative Arts educators are not trained sufficiently in the four art forms, which influences the way in which the subject is taught. Educators who have received training in only one of the art forms tend to emphasise that particular art form only. The results of the study clearly indicate that the educators will only be able to do justice to Creative Arts as a subject if they are trained sufficiently to teach it with the necessary confidence and skill. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie fokus op die persepsies van Skeppende Kunste-onderwysers in die Intermediêre Fase rakende hul eie bevoegdheidsvlak om Skeppende Kunste doeltreffend te onderrig. Skeppende Kunste bestaan uit vier kunsvorme, naamlik Dans, Drama, Musiek en Visuele Kunste. Die ideaal is dat elke Skeppende Kunste-onderwyser bevoeg genoeg is om elkeen van hierdie kunsvorme doeltreffend aan te bied. Om die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord om die doel van die studie te verwesenlik, het die navorser ʼn kwalitatiewe navorsingstudie vanuit die interpretatiewe navorsingsparadigma onderneem. Die navorser het ook gebruik gemaak van ʼn gevalle-studiestrategie om data oor die spesifieke geval, naamlik Skeppende Kunste-onderwysers, in te samel. Daar is gebruik gemaak van veelvuldige bronne, naamlik semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, vraelyste en dokumentontleding, om data te genereer. Verskillende stappe is gedoen om die geldigheid en betroubaarheid van die data te verseker. Tydens die ondersoek het etiese kwessies na vore getree, en die navorser het die nodige riglyne gevolg om seker te maak alle handelinge is eties. In die literatuurstudie word die kurrikulumhersieningsproses asook die insluiting van Kuns en Kultuur en Skeppende Kunste in die kurrikulum van naderby beskou. Verder word daar gekyk na die opleiding van Skeppende Kunste-onderwysers en die uitdaging wat hierdie vak aan skole en algemene opgeleide onderwysers bied. Daar is bevind dat algemene opgeleide onderwysers dikwels nie bevoeg voel om hierdie vak met die nodige selfvertroue, kennis en vaardighede aan te bied nie. Uit die resultate van die studie blyk dit dat Skeppende Kunste-onderwysers nie voldoende opgelei is in al vier kunsvorme nie, en dat dit wel ʼn invloed het op die manier waarop die vak aangebied word. Die onderwysers is geneig om die kunsvorm waarin hul wel opleiding ontvang het, te beklemtoon. Uit die studie is dit duidelik dat die vak Skeppende Kunste slegs tot sy reg sal kom indien onderwysers wat dit aanbied voldoende opgelei is om die vak met die nodige selfvertroue en bekwaamheid te onderrig.

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. (Applied Linguistics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. (Psychology of Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

National and international studies show that the standard of mathematics teaching and learning in South Africa is very low compared to other countries. These statistics are worrying because mathematics is one of the ‘gatekeeper’ subjects that determine learners’ access to higher learning and a better future. My study, aimed at exploring two Foundation Phase teachers’ selection and use of examples and representations when teaching number, forms part of a longitudinal study currently underway within the Wits Maths Connect Primary (WMC-P) Project. One of the broad aims of the WMC-P Project is to improve primary teachers’ mathematics content knowledge and also to see this translated into improved pedagogy on the ground. This qualitative study was carried out within the WMC-P Project’s 20-Day in-service training course and one of the ten government schools participating in the broader study. My study aimed to build on research that has been carried out on teachers’ use of examples and representations with a focus on the South African terrain. The dataset comprised of two Foundation Phase teacher’s pre-tests, course-work tasks, field notes, and transcripts of observed lessons. Data was analysed using an analytical framework based on current literature related to examples and representations within mathematics teaching. Findings from my study show possible associations between a higher content knowledge score and the extent of a teacher’s example space and more coherent connections between different representational forms. More studies around this topic are needed because research shows that teachers’ examples and representations in mathematics teaching are important for good teaching and conceptual understanding.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Science, 2002.

A research report submitted to the Wits School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Education by combination of coursework and research. Johannesburg 2016 / Increasingly teachers are expected to integrate ICTs into their teaching practice. Recent studies have focused on the role played by teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge in explaining how they exploit the affordances offered by the new digital technologies, and yet the pace of integration has been far slower than expected. Education is founded on the business of knowledge, and yet there is a knowledge blindness in educational research. This study tries to discern what effect subject specialization and knowledge has on teacher’s adoption of ICTs into their pedagogical practice, using the framework of Legitimation Code Theory, in particular semantic waves. Seeing ICT practices as affording both knower and knowledge practices, and as affording gravitation or levitation allows us to start to unpack further how the forms knowledge takes influences decisions around ICT adoption. / MT2017

Thesis (M.Ed. (Educational Psychology))--University of the Witwatersrand, Education Faculty, 1998 / Reports received on psychoeducational assessments of their pupils, were rated by 93 teachers from Ex-"Model"C" primary schools in the greater Johannesburg area. The reports came mainly for psychologists in private practice (n=63) followed by departmental support services. (n=27) and education clinics (n=3). The chief reason for referral was academic difficulties. Thf majority of teachers held favourable attitudes to psychologists and test data in general, found report content as presented in specific reports useful, and found reports useful overall. Forced choices ratings also indicated that the majority of teachers were satisfied with their reports in areas commonly criticised in the literature (length of report, .understanding of the teacher’s role, specificity and number of recommendations, language use). These very positive findings are tempered by indications that teachers may have been : somewhat biased toward giving positive ratings, and by certain criticisms of the reports.Also reports were not seen as positively with regards to helping teachers deal with classroom ; behaviour and in helping develop specific instructional plans/methods. Language use, particularly in the presentations of test results, may represent a difficulty for teachers, Teacher ratings of the overall usefulness of specific reports did not relate significantly to their demographic charactel^ajs, or their attitudes to psychologists or test data.