MEd / Department of Curriculum Studies / See the attached abstract below

DEd (Educational Management) / Department of Educational Management / The study investigated the effectiveness of information collected through the SASAMS form in the Department of Basic Education in John Taolo Gaetsewe District in the Northern Cape. The research adopted the two research paradigms, namely, positivism and interpretivism. The research is situated within theories of leadership and organizational effectiveness. The mixed methods research design was used in this study. The study used the survey, interviews, documentary analysis and observation as research methods. The population comprised 171 schools in John Taolo Gaetsewe District. A simple random sampling procedure was employed to get a sample of 30 schools comprised 240 teachers, 3 teacher union representatives and 5 school governing body (SGB) members. Purposive sampling technique was also employed to choose 6 school principals and two EMIS Unit personnel. Qualitative data was generated through interviews, observation and documentary analysis. A survey was administered to obtain quantitative data. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 was used for statistical information. Grounded theory was also employed, and it further provided a descriptive framework which assists in the understanding of a phenomenon that was being investigated. It was established that there were big disparities between enrolment figures declared and the actual ones that prevailed in schools. The study recommends that Circuit District Offices should constantly check and monitor the existence and maintenance of data source documents in schools in order that correct enrolment figures are maintained in schools at all times to enable effective planning processes. The SA-SAMS form should also incorporate a mechanism for detecting ‘ghost personnel’ and ‘ghost learners.’ The study further recommends the linking of HRMS and SA-SAMS tools to play complimentary roles so as to curb malpractices bedeviling the DBE. Additionally, the DBE should consider revising the policy where schools are allowed to factor in a 10% enrolment increase as it creates a good foundation for data falsification by unscrupulous officials. / NRF

MEd (Curriculum Studies) / Department of Curriculum Studies / The study investigated the implementation of Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) at the Foundation Phase. The implementation of CAPS was problematic in South African schools. If challenges experienced by teachers, such as inadequate resources, insufficient support, financial constraints and lack of proper training are not addressed, they would have far-reaching consequences for the type of skilled learners the system seeks to produce. The study was informed by an antipositivist worldview. The study adopted a qualitative case study research design. The population was the Foundation Phase teachers and School Management teams in Koloti Circuit. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. The sample consisted of 24 Foundation Phase teachers, 8 Heads of Departments and 8 School Principals. Qualitative data was generated through individual and focus group interviews and was analysed thematically. The study revealed that teachers understood CAPS. The curriculum was implemented fully in the schools. The study also established that even though teachers were committed to implementing the curriculum, there were challenges in the system like; inadequate teacher training, multi-grade teaching, monitoring and support for teachers, skilled school management teams and provisioning of human and material resources. The study recommends quality continuous teacher development, merging of small schools to eliminate multi-grade teaching, commitment to learner teacher ratio of 1:35 and providing schools with sufficient and relevant human, physical and material resources to enhance the implementation of the curriculum. / NRF

MPM / O. R. Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies / The study is based on challenges facing schools as a result of experienced educators exiting the education system. Retaining effective experienced teachers is a particular challenge. Statistics shows that from year 2015 to date (2018), 111 educators have exited the education system at Soutpansberg East circuit. There are number of factors that cause teachers to exit the education system, amongst others are, old age, sickness, failure to cope with new changes, career dissatisfaction, low salaries, lack of discipline amongst learners, overcrowded classrooms. As a result of these, schools suffer from lack of experienced educators; the Department of Education, communities and learners pay a price. Department of Education hence must find ways to keep their highly-skilled and experienced educators. The researcher used a mixed method approach, that is, both qualitative and quantitative research method to carry out the study. The population of the study was obtained using non - probability sampling and data was gathered from the defined population. Two data collection instruments were used, namely, interviews and questionnaires while analyses were through thematic analysis and using the statistical package for social analysis. Data collected through questionnaires was analyzed using statistical analysis while the interviews data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Ethical considerations were observed when conducting the study. The researcher found that the following are the key challenges faced by schools at Soutpansberg East regarding educators exiting the system earlier. Experienced educators are difficult to replace and the process of replacing an educator takes too long. Process of teaching and learning is compromised. Scarce skills for specific subjects are difficult to replace. New educators are not able to deal with disciplinary problems in the classrooms and the school at large. The schools are always experiencing problems of allocation of work and time tabling . The following factors were found to be the causes that induce teachers to abandon their calling. Educators are not getting enough salaries and benefits in relation to their work. The introduction of qualified conditional pass in schools is causing v frustration. Some educators are exiting because they are concerned about their safety at schools. Some educators are failing to maintain discipline since the removal of corporal punishment. Most of them are in debts. The researcher proposed the following recommendation to lessen experienced educators from exiting the education system. Pay teachers accordingly so that the experienced educators can be encouraged to stay in the profession. Measures to deal with disciplinary problems in the classrooms and the school at large should be put in place. Learners should be given counseling regarding the new system of conditional pass, its advantages and disadvantages to lessen the frustration it causes to educators .Security at school should be strengthened as it is clear from the findings that some educators are exiting the system early because they are concerned about their safety at schools Educators should be given education regarding their finances as soon as they get employed. Wellness education should be prompted to assist the educators who are in debts. Educators who are in debts can be given access to their pension funds to pay off their debts as long as the process is monitored. / NRF

DEd (Educational Management) / The purpose of this study was to investigate the leadership role of principals in creating a culture of teaching and learning in rural public schools of Mopani District, Limpopo Province. The performance of learners below the expected standards in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, despite, massive resources that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) is providing annually to schools to improve quality of teaching and learning, has raised public concern. When seeking answers to these schools’ dysfunctionality, focus, however, was laid on the leadership role of school principals in some rural public schools of Mopani District, Limpopo Province. The study was guided by Hersey and Blanchard Situational Leadership theory, complemented by Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. This study was conceptualised within the interpretive paradigm, subsumed under a qualitative research approach. A qualitative case study was used with four rural public high schools. A total of sixteen participants were purposefully selected, made up of four school principals, four deputy principals and eight Heads of Departments (HoDs). Research data were gathered through individual interviews, observations and documents analysis. Data from interviews were thematically analysed, and data from documents and observations were analysed descriptively in words. Findings from interviews revealed that school principals do not monitor and support curriculum implementation. In supporting the findings from interviews, the documents analysed revealed the absence of an administered class-visits monitoring-tool. Data from the observations revealed that schools were without vision and mission statements and had inadequate resources. The study recommended principals to monitor and support curriculum implementation, and develop staff professionally. Suggestions for further study were provided. A proposed model of Action-Based COTL was developed to assist school principals in creating a COTL in schools. / NRF

MEd (Curriculum Studies) / Department of Curriculum Studies / The purpose of this study was to investigate how continuing professional teacher development can improve learners’ achievement and schooling in Mathematical Literacy. This study adopted a qualitative research design. The qualitative research method was used to collect data. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The population comprised of all Mathematical Literacy teachers, heads of departments and principals of schools in the Soutpansberg North Circuit. Purposive sampling was used to the select participants. The sample consisted of 3 school principals, 3 heads of departments’ and 9 teachers. Data was analysed thematically. The study revealed that continuing professional teacher development improves learner achievement, teacher skills and knowledge. The study recommended that teachers should be supported by the community, schools and the department of Basic Education, in order to improve their knowledge, skills and learner achievement. In addition, Learners’ needs, engaging parents, assessment strategies and teacher practice were used to measure the impact of CPTD on learner achievement. Of equal importance, teachers should further their studies and engage themselves in reading materials relevant to their profession. / NRF

1 online resource (xii, 171 leaves) : illustrations (chiefly color), color graphs / ADHD negatively impacts academic performance, and the traditional classroom setting conflicts with the symptoms of ADHD. This research examined the potential of teaching through play and peer-teaching as alternative teaching methods to improve the mathematical performance of Grade 1 children with symptoms of ADHD; by answering, would adapting teaching methods to include teaching through play and/or peer-teaching, in the South African classroom, improve the mathematical performance of children with symptoms of ADHD? A pre-test-post-test control group design was employed in this comparative experimental study. Participants were purposively selected then randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups. An eight-week intervention was implemented as teaching through play or peer-teaching. Pre-test and post-test scores were analysed using a dependent t-test, a Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, and a Kruskal Wallis test. Teaching through play and peer-teaching have the potential to improve the mathematical performance of Grade 1 children with symptoms of ADHD. Special precautions were taken in the process of minor research participants, adhering to the ethical principles of beneficence and non-maleficence, justice, and autonomy. / Psychology / M. Sc. (Psychology (Research Consultation))

The primary aim of the study was to explore positive experiences of academic employees working in an academic environment with specific reference to an Open Distance Learning (ODL) institution. The study was further envisaged as serving as the foundation for future studies which aim to develop a measuring tool for understanding positive experiences of working in academia. A qualitative approach was used to answer the research question by adopting a case study method that allowed for an in-depth study of understanding positive behaviour. A total of 12 academics were selected purposively to participate in the study. In-depth face-to-face interviews were used to gather information about the positive experiences of working in academia. In line with Seligman‘s (2000) integrated model of happiness, a happy academic was described through the adoption of (sometimes contradictory) metaphoric themes. The main themes identified were: the mother hen role, creating positive spaces, it is not a bed of roses, the just and unjust world and us versus them.In a meta-reflection on the research, contradictions were revealed in the theoretical approach adopted in this study, the literature reviewed, the empirical research and pragmatic considerations. As a result, a deconstruction of understanding positive experiences of working in academia by applying Lekgotla as an indigenous South African model was conducted. Healey‘s (2011) notion of transformative dialogue and Bujo‘s (1998) model of palaver were used as part of the framework within which Lekgotla was contextualised to understand positive experiences of working in academia. In conclusion, as an alternative, higher learning institutions (HLI) could adopt other ways that are different from Western ways of understanding the authentic experiences of diverse people in an African university. This could be done through a process of what Smith (2012) described as ―considering carefully and critically the methodologies and methods of research, the theories that inform them, the questions which they generate and the writing styles they employ‖ (p. 41). She refers to this process as decolonisation. According to her, decolonisation offers an alternative way out of colonialism since it exists as a different, oppositional way of knowing. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Consulting Psychology)

The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which grade 10 Thohoyandou secondary teachers’ integrated Environmental Education (EE) themes in Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) subjects and to suggest teaching approaches that can be used in the integration of EE themes. The theoretical framework was drawn from four key learning theories: place-based learning, social constructivism, outdoor experiential learning and connectivism. A qualitative research approach was employed as the researcher sought in-depth understanding of teachers’ perceptions to- wards the integration of EE themes in their subjects. The study population comprised teachers integrating EE themes in grade 10 subjects. Convenient purposive sampling was used to select five (n=5) schools and ten (n=10) teachers as participants in this single case study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews using a re- searcher-designed interview guide, document analysis and non-participatory observation. Content analysis was used to analyse data obtained. Results indicated that all teachers in this study were qualified to teach the subject and the grades they were teaching. Qualifications ranged from a secondary teaching diploma to the Masters in Education. However, no teacher had received prior training to integrate EE themes in their subjects. Teachers possessed knowledge and could apply some of the theories foregrounding EE in their subjects. Challenges faced by teachers in integrating EE themes in their subjects were lack of resources, overcrowded classes and poor learner involvement and understanding. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

According to the National Policy for Assessment Grade R-12, South African learners are either promoted or progressed to the next grade. This study focused on teachers’ views on teaching progressed learners in primary schools in the Lichtenburg District. According to the National Policy Pertaining to the Programme and Progression Requirements, the term ‘progressed’ means the movement of a learner from one grade to the next grade excluding grade R, in spite of the learner’s non-compliance with all the promotion requirements. The theoretical framework was provided by the behaviourist, social constructivist, and interactive learning theories. A literature study investigated the accommodation of progressed learners in Zimbabwe and the United States, albeit the use of different terminology to identify the learners, and reasons for the increase in progressed learners in South African schools since the inception of the new curriculum policy and the progression policies. Against this background, a qualitative study was conducted and a purposeful sample of six primary school teachers teaching English First Additional Language to grade six progressed learners at two selected primary schools in the Lichtenburg district was selected. Data were gathered by interviews, observation and document analysis. Findings indicated that teachers were constrained by overcrowded classrooms, lack of teaching resources and school infrastructure, poor learner behaviour, poor attendance of remediation sessions and lack of parent involvement. Teachers were not trained to teach progressed learners and tended towards teacher-centered approaches. Based on the literature and the findings of the qualitative inquiry recommendations for improved practice were made. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum and Instructional Studies)