“Arts in education are arts that play a radical different role in the open classroom than traditional school. Arts are the real business of reading, writing, math or science” Siberman cited in Mark, (1995:160). This view by Siberman sharply contrasts with my observations in my school. During CASS moderation sessions, teachers bring learner portfolios with no learning activities, others prefer to teach learning areas they are qualified for rather than teaching Arts and Culture because they have no background knowledge in Arts and Culture. The question I wrestled with was: what could be the challenges faced by the Arts and Culture teachers given the fact that training has been conducted since the inclusion of the learning area in the curriculum from 1999 to date? In an implementation evaluation study that I conducted among four schools in the Bizana Area of the Eastern Cape Province, I found out through participant observation, questionnaires and interviews from four sampled senior phase teachers, that some of the participants have stopped teaching Arts and Culture in their schools because ‘they do not know what to teach’. Through the use of a thematic content analysis approach, I found out that many teachers complain about their lack of background knowledge of the art forms and that there is limited time provided in the timetable to teach this learning area. Seemingly, there are still challenges in the implementation of the learning area in this district. The results indicate a serious need for formal training of the Arts and Culture teachers with proper qualifications in more than one art form.

The provision of low cost housing has become one of the current South African government‟s top priorities. With the establishment of these new housing developments comes the need for accompanying social infrastructure. This includes the provisioning of schools, police stations, clinics and sports fields. In this study, I attempted to identify and explore the key basic elements that needed to be present when opening a new community school in one of these low income housing developments. The study gives voice to what key stakeholders thought these elements should be. The stakeholders were the teachers and community volunteers, which included parents of the learners. They actively participated in this study through the methodology of participatory action learning and action research (PALAR). The participants identified strong, compassionate and visionary leadership as an essential element that need to be present when opening up a new school. The study further shows that this leadership must have some knowledge of effective management systems in order to support the establishment of a new school. The findings also show that leadership and the effective implementation of these management systems rely heavily on the support of a variety of internal and external stakeholders, especially when support was lacking from the Department of Basic Education. The study further shows that the roles of the various stakeholders should be clearly defined and managed, so as to avoid tensions that might arise by having a large number of people involved in a confined space like a school. Teachers and community volunteers emerged as the key stakeholders who contributed to the effective functioning of the new school. Their continued involvement in the school requires on-going professional development and support.

Department of Curriculum Studies / MEd

No description available.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of teachers is increasingly becoming a priority in most countries throughout the world. It is widely viewed as the most effective approach to prepare teachers adequately, and to improve their instructional and intervention practices, for when they enter the workforce (Fraser et al 2007). Despite the general acceptance of CPD programmes as essential to the improvement of education, reviews of professional development research constantly point out the ineffectiveness of most of these programmes (see Cohen and Hill, 1998 and 2000). Furthermore, many teachers express dissatisfaction with the professional development opportunities made available to them in schools and insist that the most effective development programmes they have experienced have been self-initiated (National Research Council, 2007). There is a consensus that many CPD programmes have yet to understand professional development from a teacher‘s perspective. This perspective acknowledges what drives teachers to enlist in these programmes and how such programmes can make a difference to them and their classrooms. Therefore, this study seeks to return the emphasis of professional development to the teachers. The study explores the teachers‘ perspectives of CPD in general, the personal meaning of CPD, and its meaning in the context of their work. By interviewing the teachers who were part of the Mpumalanga Secondary Science Initiative (MSSI) project (a seven year science and mathematics professional development intervention), I explore: the teachers‘ opinions of the intervention; its meaning to them and their work; and its impact on their classroom practices and students for the duration of the intervention and beyond. In this study, I explore data from an extensive and longitudinal study of teachers who were part of the CPD programme in greater detail. In discussing my data, I propose that CPD, however well intentioned and executed, is received differently by each teacher as a result of their personal circumstances and investment in the programme. I argue that the greater the unity between the personal circumstances and motivations of the teachers and those of the CPD intervention, the more likely the outcome will be meaningful for the participating teachers. In turn, the ability to sustain the benefits of the intervention will be enhanced. / Further Teacher Education / D.Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of teachers is increasingly becoming a priority in most countries throughout the world. It is widely viewed as the most effective approach to prepare teachers adequately, and to improve their instructional and intervention practices, for when they enter the workforce (Fraser et al 2007). Despite the general acceptance of CPD programmes as essential to the improvement of education, reviews of professional development research constantly point out the ineffectiveness of most of these programmes (see Cohen and Hill, 1998 and 2000). Furthermore, many teachers express dissatisfaction with the professional development opportunities made available to them in schools and insist that the most effective development programmes they have experienced have been self-initiated (National Research Council, 2007). There is a consensus that many CPD programmes have yet to understand professional development from a teacher‘s perspective. This perspective acknowledges what drives teachers to enlist in these programmes and how such programmes can make a difference to them and their classrooms. Therefore, this study seeks to return the emphasis of professional development to the teachers. The study explores the teachers‘ perspectives of CPD in general, the personal meaning of CPD, and its meaning in the context of their work. By interviewing the teachers who were part of the Mpumalanga Secondary Science Initiative (MSSI) project (a seven year science and mathematics professional development intervention), I explore: the teachers‘ opinions of the intervention; its meaning to them and their work; and its impact on their classroom practices and students for the duration of the intervention and beyond. In this study, I explore data from an extensive and longitudinal study of teachers who were part of the CPD programme in greater detail. In discussing my data, I propose that CPD, however well intentioned and executed, is received differently by each teacher as a result of their personal circumstances and investment in the programme. I argue that the greater the unity between the personal circumstances and motivations of the teachers and those of the CPD intervention, the more likely the outcome will be meaningful for the participating teachers. In turn, the ability to sustain the benefits of the intervention will be enhanced. / Further Teacher Education / D.Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The focus of this study was to explore and expand capabilities, sustainability and gender justice in Science, Mathematics and Technical subjects (SMTs) in teacher education curriculum practices as a process of Education for Sustainable Development in two case studies in Zimbabwe and South Africa. The study begins by discussing gender and science education discourse, locating it within Education for Sustainable Development discourse. Through this nexus, the study was able to explore gender and sustainability responsiveness of the curriculum practices of teacher educators in Science, Mathematics and Technical subjects; scrutinise underlying mechanisms that affect (promote or constrain) gender and sustainability responsive curriculum practices; and understand if and how teacher education curriculum practices consider the functionings and capabilities of females in relation to increased socio-ecological risk in a Southern African context. Influenced by a curriculum transformation commitment, an expansive learning phase was conducted to promote gender and sustainability responsive pedagogies in teacher education curriculum practices. As shown in the study, the expansive learning processes resulted in (re)conceptualising the curriculum practices (object), analysis of contradictions and developing new ways of doing work. Drawing from the sensitising concepts of dialectics, reflexivity and agency, the study worked with the three theoretical approaches of Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), feminist theory and capabilities theory. The capability and feminist lenses were used in the exploration of gender and sustainability responsiveness in science teacher education curriculum practices. CHAT, through its associated methodology of Developmental Work Research, offered the opportunity for researcher and participants in this study to come together to question and analyse curriculum practices and model new ways of doing work. Case study research was used in two case studies of teacher education curriculum practices in Science, Mathematics and Technical subjects, one in Zimbabwe and one in South Africa. Each case study is constituted with a networked activity system. The study used in-depth and focus group interviews and document analysis to explore gender and sustainability responsiveness in curriculum practices and to generate mirror data. Inductive and abductive modes of inference, and Critical Discourse Analysis were used to analyse data. This data was then used in Change Laboratory Workshops, where double stimulation and focus group discussions contributed to the expansive learning process. Findings from the exploration phase of the study revealed that most teacher educators in the two case studies had some basic levels of gender sensitivity, meaning that they had ability to perceive existing gender inequalities as it applies only to gender disaggregated data especially when it comes to enrolment and retention. However, there was no institutionalised pedagogic device in place in both case studies aimed at equipping future teachers with knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to promote aspects of capabilities (well-being achievement, wellbeing freedom, agency achievement and agency freedom) for girls in Science, Mathematics and Technical subjects. Science, Mathematics and Technical subjects teacher educators' curriculum practices were gender neutral, but in a gendered environment. This was a pedagogical tension that was visible in both case studies. On the other hand, socio-ecological issues, in cases where they were incorporated into the curriculum, were incorporated in a gender blind or gender neutral manner. Social ecological concerns such as climate change were treated as if they were not gendered both in their impact and in their mitigation and adaptation. It emerged that causal mechanisms shaping this situation were of a socio-political nature: there exist cultural differences between students and teacher educators; patriarchal ideology and hegemony; as well as other interfering binaries such as race and class. Other curriculum related constraints, though embedded in the socio-cultural-political nexus, include: rigid and content heavy curriculum, coupled with students who come into the system with inadequate content knowledge; and philosophy informing pedagogy namely scientism, with associated instrumentalist and functionalist tenets. All these led to contradictions between pedagogical practices with those expected by the Education for Sustainable Development framework. The study contributes in-depth insight into science teacher education curriculum development. By locating the study at the nexus of gender and Science, Mathematics and Technical subjects within the Education for Sustainable Development discourse, using the ontological lenses of feminist and capabilities, it was possible to interrogate aspects of quality and relevance of the science teacher education curriculum. The study also provides insight into participatory research and learning processes especially within the context of policy and curriculum development. It provides empirical evidence of mobilising reflexivity amongst both policy makers and policy implementers towards building human agency in policy translation for a curriculum transformation that is critical for responding to contemporary socio-ecological risks. / Microsoft� Word 2010 / Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in

Arising from a literature study, the notions of quality and quality assurance (QA) were described. A literature study was undertaken regarding the current South African national QA policies on teacher education. A case study was conducted at Tshiya College of Education, which merged with the University of the North: Qwaqwa Branch during the rightsizing of higher education in 2001. The establishment of a QA system for teacher education, on micro level, was critically described. Action research was used to investigate the process of QA. A steering committee was established. Two QA seminars contributed toward an awareness campaign. A SWOTanalysis was done. A QA policy was designed, including a framework-for-action which was action researched by volunteers. Researchers developed their own improvement plans by: compiling their job descriptions; rating their effectiveness of task execution; and attending to emerging quality gaps to determine focus areas. Professional development was emphasised. Improvement plans for Micro Teaching and Media were action researched. Taxing circumstances, resulting from the higher education transformation and its effect on the research, were reported. Data emerged from describing the action research phases: planning, implementation, observation, and reflection for re-planning. Self-, peer-, and student-assessments were utilised. Apart from discussions and meetings, the researchers kept diaries and forms were designed for assessments. In both improvement plans, reflection-in-action led to identification of unforseen weaknesses which were addressed as side-spirals of the original plans. Reflection-on-action took place at a formal meeting to which external evaluators were invited. Strengths and weaknesses were determined and findings corroborated and clustered toward final recommendations. Intrinsic motivation was described as a precursor to involvement in QA. Leadership/management/planning was seen as creating infrastructure to encourage employees to focus on quality and movement toward the institution's vision. Implementation was described as taking action to put a realistic plan into practice. Teamwork was identified as a hallmark of action research and emphasis was placed on collective wisdom. It was concluded that meritorious modelling meant that educators should lead by example / Educational Studies / D.Ed.(Education Management)

Student performance in Mathematics and Science education is a source of concern for education authorities in South Africa. This was supported by the latest TIMSS results which were released in December 2004. As in the previous studies, TIMSS and TIMSS-R, South African learners were again outperformed by the learners of all other participating countries (Reddy, 2004). To ensure learner achievement in mathematics and science, we need committed, qualified and experienced teachers in these subjects. In this study a holistic professional development (HPD) model was constructed, tested and evaluated using practicing Grade 10 - 12 teachers. The model developed teachers' content knowledge, teaching approaches and professional attitudes simultaneously. After analysis of the model we found that improving teachers' content knowledge builds their confidence in teaching their subject. This in turn motivates teachers to perform better in their jobs: they come to class better prepared, eager to do a job they know they are good at, no more coming late, no more plodding through uninspiring one-way lessons. They are turned into better professionals with a positive work ethic. Their improved classroom practices lead to higher enrolments of science learners and improved learner achievement, the crown of successful science teaching. The HPD model was developed in three phases. In the first phase baseline information was obtained to determine problems that exist with the teachers' content knowledge, teaching approaches and professional attitudes. After data analysis it was found that all three of these dimensions needed development. In the second phase the initial development of the HPD model took place. An intervention programme was structured and the effect of the programme on the teachers' content knowledge, teaching approaches and professional attitudes were analysed. Successful elements of the initial model were extracted and developed further, in addition new elements were added. In the third phase the HPD model was developed further. Analysis of the data showed the following effect on the teachers: they were extricated from a vicious cycle where poor content knowledge leads to lack of confidence which caused unwillingness to spend time on task (poor professional attitudes, ineffective teaching approaches). Instead they became part of a virtuous circle where improved content knowledge leads to increased confidence, enjoyment and a willingness to spend more time on task (better professional attitudes and effective teaching approaches). The HPD model was evaluated using international benchmarks, such as the Standards for Professional Development of the National Research Council of New York, USA. Recommendations and possibilities for future research are discussed. / Mathematical Sciences / D.Phil.(Mathematics, Science and Technology Education - Physics Education)

The study examines the effectiveness of the implementation of Developmental Appraisal (DA) within the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) in selected secondary schools in Matlosana, North West Province. The methods used to gather information includes the literature review and the empirical investigation, based on the qualitative research approach, which involved six focus group interviews from the six sampled secondary schools in Matlosana Area Project Office, in the North West Province. The review of related literature revealed that there are roles and responsibilities officials are tasked with; processes; challenges; and effective strategies when implementing DA. The empirical investigation revealed that there are challenges that hamper the effective implementation of DA in schools. The challenges include: inadequate support from the Area Project Office; lack of resources for educator development; inadequate time frames for implementation; disruption of normal teaching and learning; lack of honesty on the part of the appraisee and appraiser; and conflict. At the end, the study recommends some strategies that can be used to overcome some of these challenges. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Educational Management)