Thesis (M. Ed. (Education)) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2014 / The goal of the education system is to increase cognitive capacity, competencies and skills such as acquiring new knowledge, recalling facts and figures and applying this information to reasoning, understanding and solving problems. To achieve all these competencies teachers and lecturers traditionally use Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning Domains. The competencies and skills as described by Bloom are measured by standardised intelligence tests. Society takes it for granted that the higher a person’s IQ (Intelligence quotient), the better he/she will perform at school level. But what happens after school? While cognitive intelligence may be able to predict quite accurately how one will perform at school, it predicts very little else in the way of social performance and interaction after school. As such, IQ is a rather weak predictor of performance in interpersonal relations, at work and in coping with a wide variety of challenges that surface in the course of one's life on a daily basis (Wagner, 1997). Some writers makes a strong case that people owe their success in their professional careers to much more than mere IQ. Wagner reviews data and offers convincing cases to show that an IQ above 110, fails as an accurate predictor of success in a career. In other words, you need to be smart enough to handle the cognitive complexity of the information you need for a given role or job, be it engineering, law, medicine, or business. But after reaching this threshold of “smart enough,” your intellect makes little difference. Wagner concludes that IQ alone predicts just 6 to 10 percent of career success. It has been argued for over a century, as early as Charles Darwin that something is missing from the human performance formula that is needed to explain why some people do very well in life while others do not, irrespective of how cognitively intelligent they may be. One of the first attempts by psychologists to identify additional predictors of performance in other aspects of life was made by Edward Thorndike (1920) when he described "social intelligence" as the ability to perceive one's own and others' internal states, motives and behaviours, and to act towards them appropriately on the basis of that information. Mayer, Salovey and Caruso (2000:273) state that emotional intelligence includes “the ability to perceive, appraise and express emotion accurately and adaptively; the ability to understand emotion and emotional knowledge; the ability to access and generate feelings where they facilitate cognitive activities and adaptive action; and the ability to regulate emotions in oneself and others”. All of these skills are necessary for the teacher to function successfully in the classroom. The question is: does the modern teacher have the necessary EI skills? This dissertation explores and describes the level of Emotional Intelligence of the first year student teachers at the Central University of Technology, Free State. Seventy-nine (79) students were tested during 2012 and 2013 to establish whether they have the necessary levels of Emotional Intelligence to ensure that they will be able to become good classroom leaders upon entering the teacher’s profession. Traits of Emotional Intelligence were assessed by means of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue). The study investigates the Emotional Intelligence attributes and skills that a teacher will need to become a good classroom leader. The study examines the four main areas tested in the TEIQue, namely the well-being, the emotionality, the sociability and the self-control of the student teacher. Findings suggest that the student teachers still need to develop their emotional intelligence as their results fall in the lower level of the acceptable range.

The aim of this research is to evaluate the process of the 2005 Excellence in Tuition Awards at the University of South Africa. To achieve this aim an investigation was undertaken into (a) the strengths and weaknesses of the 2005 Awards process and (b) possible ways to improve it for the future. The literature study sought to place the rewarding of quality teaching in the broader framework of international excellence in tuition awards, current criteria (both locally and globally) used in evaluating teaching in higher education, and principles of business process management. The qualitative investigation attempted to provide a contextual understanding of Unisa's experience of awarding excellence in tuition, through an exploration of the experiences of those who were directly involved in the 2005 Excellence in Tuition Awards process at Unisa. The findings serve as basis for guidelines for future Awards processes. / Educational Studies / M. Ed.(Open and Distance Learning)

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)

This study focused on the peer observation of teaching [POT] on the pedagogical content knowledge [PCK] of mathematics novice teachers in the teaching of grade 11 statistics. A case study research method was conducted on this qualitative study. Two mathematics novice teachers were purposively selected from a population of five novice teachers from a circuit in Mpumalanga Province. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and document analysis. Pre-lesson and post-lesson semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain information about each teacher’s views. The POT process began with pre-observation meeting with the two novice teachers to discuss the modalities of the POT process and ended with the post-observation feedback meeting in which general evaluation and reflection of the process took place. Results show that the two mathematics novice teachers’ classroom management skills improved. Furthermore, findings reveal that the two novice teachers improved in the use of instructional strategies as they moved from using teacher-centred strategies like the lecture method to using learner-centred instructional strategies such as oral probing and group work, among others, in which they interacted more with learners. The novice teachers also improved in identifying learners’ misconceptions and learning difficulties. At the end of the study, the two novice teachers openly expressed that the POT process gave them the opportunity to improve in studying and teaching statistical content in depth. / Mathematics Education / M. Ed. (Mathematics Education)

The aim of this research is to evaluate the process of the 2005 Excellence in Tuition Awards at the University of South Africa. To achieve this aim an investigation was undertaken into (a) the strengths and weaknesses of the 2005 Awards process and (b) possible ways to improve it for the future. The literature study sought to place the rewarding of quality teaching in the broader framework of international excellence in tuition awards, current criteria (both locally and globally) used in evaluating teaching in higher education, and principles of business process management. The qualitative investigation attempted to provide a contextual understanding of Unisa's experience of awarding excellence in tuition, through an exploration of the experiences of those who were directly involved in the 2005 Excellence in Tuition Awards process at Unisa. The findings serve as basis for guidelines for future Awards processes. / Educational Studies / M. Ed.(Open and Distance Learning)

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)

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Quality, Durban University of Technology, 2017. / The emergence of a highly competitive and integrated international economy, rapid technological innovation, and a growing knowledge base will continue to have a profound impact on the lives of communities. In recent years there has been an international movement towards educational reform, particularly in science education, to meet the need for a sustainable environment, economy, and society. Science education is a key element in developing scientific literacy among today’s and tomorrow’s youth. Recent decades have seen an exponential growth in scientific applications, and one would expect an accompanied increase in science interests in the classroom, as well as an increased understanding of basic science ideas and ways of thinking will follow. However, research has shown that this is not the case. In this study, the researcher, through the research methodology, took an in-depth look at whether the curriculum reform in the Life Science curriculum was forthcoming to lifelong learning. The key questions guiding this study are as follows: (a) What are the perceptions and expectations of grade 12 learners regarding the quality of the Life Sciences curriculum in respect of lifelong learning; (b) What are the perceptions and expectations of grade 12 learners regarding the their Life Sciences educators; (c) What are the perceptions of the grade 12 Life Sciences educators of the relevance of the grade 12 Life Sciences curriculum with a view to lifelong learning; (d) How does the grade 12 Life Sciences curriculum impact on lifelong learning of learners. This study falls within the realm of mixed methods study. Mixed methods encompass both a quantitative and a qualitative study. The study was conducted in the district of Pinetown because in 2013 this district produced the best results in Kwa-Zulu Natal in the National Senior Certificate Life Sciences examination. This study used simple random sampling to obtain the learner participants. The researcher conducted the study in 16 schools and 25 learners from each school were randomly selected. The educator sample comprised 75 grade 12 Life Sciences educators. The SERVQUAL questionnaire was administered to the 400 learners that were randomly selected while; the educator questionnaire was administered to the sample of 75 educators. The findings of the research revealed that educators experienced many challenges which hindered the successful implementation of the Life Sciences curriculum effectively. The quality of the Life Sciences curriculum itself did not that hinge on lifelong learning. It did not have very much relevance to the lives of the learners and as such the learners were learning about things that were abstract to them. Another finding was that educators found it challenging to relate the grade 12 Life Sciences curriculum to the everyday experiences of the learners because time was a limiting factor. The exam driven nature of Life Sciences had resulted in rote memorisation of scientific facts by the students without any or very little attention being paid to analysis and application of knowledge. The inability to evaluate the process of curriculum implementation by curriculum developers could have serious consequences for the learners and communities at large. For any qualitative change to occur in Life Sciences education, the curriculum must undergo a paradigm shift. To encourage schools and teachers to implement this paradigm shift, fundamentally there needs to be an overarching reform of teacher empowerment. In essence, what is needed from the national educational policy makers is a shift towards more evolutionary policy planning which aims to improve the fit between the intention of the curriculum and the conditions on the ground, to blend top-down policy initiative and bottom-up participation and to promote continuous interaction between all policy actors. / D

The majority of learners in South Africa are not native speakers of English, yet English is the dominant language of learning and teaching (LoLT). South African teachers, therefore, have the challenge of ensuring that their learners' literacy skills in English are adequately developed so as to facilitate learning in other curricular areas. This study investigated the way in which two Grade 5 teachers employed at different primary schools in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa taught writing to their English first additional language (EFAL) learners. English is the LoLT at both schools. A qualitative interpretive approach was used to identify factors that shape the ways these teachers handle the teaching of writing. The theoretical framework was informed by Borg's model of teacher cognition (2003) Shulman's conception of teacher knowledge (1987). Data collection methods consisted of interviews, classroom observations and document analysis. In-depth interviews, comprising two semi-structured interviews, two post-lesson informal conversational interviews and one stimulated recall interview were conducted with each teacher. Five of each teacher's writing lessons were observed and audio and video recorded. Samples of learners' written work were also collected. Analysis of the data reveals that the two teachers' beliefs, their experiences as learners themselves and subsequently as teachers, impacted on their pedagogy, as did other contextual factors (including the support they received from subject advisors, time management, and the number and range of learners in their classrooms). It was found that both teachers focused primarily on ensuring that their learners completed their written work so that it could be marked and graded in response to demands from their superiors, rather than on engaging deeply with the processes of writing (brainstorming, drafting, revising etc). Not only does this run counter to the writing pedagogy recommended in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS), but it also denies learners the scaffolding needed to help them develop the self-regulation skills needed to become independent writers. These findings demonstrate the need for assisting teachers to shift away from focusing only on learners' performance (testing and grading) towards a stronger emphasis on the process of writing. This would require that teachers develop a deeper understanding of the process/genre approaches to teaching writing advocated by CAPS.

In recent years, the South African education system has experimented with different appraisal systems in an attempt to evaluate the performance of educators in public schools. Educator appraisal is receiving attention throughout the world as governments become aware of the need to examine educational provision critically to ensure that it is both relevant for and appropriate to, the needs of the youth. Before 1994, the appraisal of educators was mainly based on traditional approaches to evaluate their performance. For instance, it was the responsibility of the inspectors from the Department of Education (DoE) to evaluate the performance of educators in schools. Consequently, a great deal of criticism was levelled at this appraisal system such as the prevalence of political bias in the system, the unchecked power that the inspectors wielded, the incompetence of inspectors and irrelevance of some evaluation criteria and absence of contextual factors. After 1994, there was a paradigm shift from the traditional to the developmental approach to evaluate the performance of educators in public schools. That is, there was a need to develop educators through appropriate appraisal schemes with a view to enhancing their continued professional growth. Therefore, the present education system calls for a decentralised appraisal system, which places greater emphasis on the professional development of educators. Stakeholders such as educators and teacher unions have also made higher demands for improved educator evaluation and professional growth. In 1998, at the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC), the Department of Education (DoE) agreed to introduce the Developmental Appraisal System (DAS) followed by the Whole-School Evaluation (WSE) in 2001. Both these policies were rejected by educators and their teacher unions since they regarded these appraisal systems as summative, judgmental and that failed to offer opportunities for further development. In August 2003, the DoE and the unions signed two collective agreements, which led to the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) and it was intended to integrate and strengthen various components of DAS, WSE and performance measurement (PM). The IQMS was first implemented in South African schools in 2005 with the aim of enhancing the continuing professional growth of educators. Furthermore, the National Department of Education (NDoE) introduced the National Policy Framework on Teacher Education and Development (NPFTED) in 2006. This policy aimed to equip educators to undertake their essential and demanding tasks and to enable them to enhance their professional competence and performance on a continuing basis. Even though the IQMS was introduced as a new system to evaluate the performance of educators and to enhance their professional growth, it does not actually serve its purpose since it is not properly implemented and monitored in schools. Instead of using it as a tool to enhance the professional growth of educators, its emphasis is on getting assessment scores, which are directly related to remuneration. As a result, the ultimate aim of professional development for educators is neglected. This means that the IQMS is regarded as a separate entity that is not linked to the continuing professional growth of educators and its developmental programmes are criticised for being traditional since they are only confined to class visits, which are conducted once or twice a year for PM purposes. Therefore, since the introduction of the IQMS in 2003 and its implementation in 2005 in South African schools, no empirical research has been conducted on the need to link appraisal to professional development in the IQMS in South African schools. The study conducted by Bisschoff and Mathye (2009) focusses on the advocacy of an appraisal system for teachers. Another study conducted by Dhlamini (2009) concentrates on the role of the IQMS to measure and improve teaching and learning in the South African further education and training (FET) sector. Furthermore, the study by Rabichund (2011) focusses on the assessment of the IQMS and its implications for whole school development. Furthermore, the study by Mahlaela (2011) investigates the IQMS as a transformational strategy for teacher development in South Africa. Accordingly, this study builds on these studies and it seeks to investigate how appraisal and professional development can be linked in the IQMS in South African schools. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Many schools in South Africa face challenges of poor teacher performance as a result of implementing performance evaluation systems that are not developmental. In an attempt to resolve the current implementation challenges of the South African Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) which is theoretically aligned to the TQM principles, the focus in this study is on the perceptions of school-based managers and educators regarding the effectiveness of the developmental supervision model as a possible tool for improving the quality of teaching. A mixed methods research design characterised by the explanatory sequential design was used to address the research questions. Out of the 350 randomly selected participants in all 15 districts of the Gauteng Province responded to the quantitative phase in the form of questionnaires. This was followed by analysis of the qualitative data from three focus group interview sessions that were conducted in Sedibeng East, Sedibeng West and Johannesburg North districts of the Gauteng Province in order to get in-depth explanations on perceptions of school-based managers and educators. Each of the three focus group interviews comprised of ten purposefully selected participants embracing two principals, two vice principals, two HODs and four educators per district. The results indicate that school-based managers and educators strongly believed that the developmental supervision model is an excellent tool for improving quality of teaching by applying implementation strategies comprising of the clinical supervision, self-directed supervision, peer supervision and connoisseurship strategies. These results were based on the opinion of the participants that the characteristics of the developmental supervision implementation strategies align with the Total Quality Management principles which were perceived to have a positive influence on improving the quality of teaching. The same supervision strategies were also found to match different levels of teacher development according to their levels of expertise and commitment. In contrast, the IQMS performance evaluation process, which also involves self-evaluation and peer evaluation, was believed to lack compliance with the developmental supervision strategies and the TQM principles during practical implementation because of characteristics related to the traditional inspection approaches to professional development. It is therefore recommended that the developmental supervision model should be introduced in South African schools to effectively implement the IQMS in order to ensure improved quality of teaching. / Educational Management and Leadership / D. Ed. (Education Management)