Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mentoring as a professional development strategy forms an integral part of the Advanced Certificate: School leadership that was introduced in 2007 by the National Education department as an entry qualification in the school principalship. The Advanced Certificate in Education: School Leadership is aimed at capacitating school leaders to address the challenges experienced by school principals. The primary objective of this study was to investigate whether the mentorship component of the course is experienced as a form of social learning by the candidates. To achieve this goal, open-ended questions were prepared and administered during semi-structured interviews with the school principals who have been mentored within the ACE programme. The interviews were conducted to ten (10) participants including principals, deputy principals and heads of departments (school level) within the Gert Sibande District (Mpumalanga Province). The investigation highlighted that principals do indeed experience mentoring as a form of social learning. This was confirmed by the statements given by the interviewed principals that their learning was based on learning from each other through observation and engagement as well as through their mentors. This learning is confirmed by Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (1977) which suggests that learning takes place through observation and positive behaviour of the mentor. Based on the findings, the main recommendations were that mentorship, as social learning, should be extended to all school leaders and ultimately to school educators, that a mentoring unit should be based at each district office, that the selection of mentors should be carried out carefully so that protégés could benefit maximally and that the period of mentoring should go beyond merely being a component of an academic course. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Mentorskap as ‘n professionele ontwikkelingstrategie vorm ‘n integrale deel van die Gevorderde Onderwyssertifikaat: Skoolleierskap wat in 2007 deur die Nasionale Onderwysdepartement as ‘n toetree-kwalifikasie vir skoolhoofde ingestel is. Die Gevorderde Onderwyssertifikaat: Skooleierskap is gerig op die kapasitering van skoolleiers om die uitdagings wat die posisie van Skoolhoof meebring aan te spreek. Die primêre doelwit van die studie was om vas te stel of die mentorskapkomponent van die kursus deur kandidate as ‘n vorm van sosiale leer ervaar word. Om die doel te bereik is oopvrae voorberei en geadministreer tydens semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met skoolhoofde wat as deel van die Gevorderde Sertifikaat: Skoolleierskapkursus gementor is. Die onderhoude is gevoer met tien skoolhoofde, adjunkhoofde en departementshoofde van die Gert Sibande distrik (Mpumalanga). Die ondersoek het aan die lig gebring dat skoolhoofde wel die mentorskapproses as ‘n vorm van sosiale leer ervaar. Hierdie aspek is bevestig deur die respons van skoolleiers dat hulle van mekaar geleer het deur observasie en braadslaging asook deur die modelering van mentors. Diè vorm van leer strook met Bandura se Teorie van Sosiale Leer (2007) wat die idée onderskryf dat leer plaasvind deur observasie en modelering van positiewe gedrag van die mentor. Gebaseer op die bevindinge is die hoof aanbevelings wat in die studie gemaak word dat mentorskap, as sosiale leer, uitgebrei behoort te word na alle skoolleiers en uiteindelik na alle onderwysers, dat ‘n mentorskapeenheid by elke distrik gebaseer behoort te word, dat die keuring van mentors omsigtig moet geskied sodat protégés maksimaal voordeel trek en dat mentorskap verder moet strek as bloot ‘n komponent van ‘n akademiese kursus.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa needs to ensure equal opportunity for all to higher education, and given that it also needs to correct the drastic imbalances brought about by apartheid, affirmative action is seen as a strategy to pursue both goals. Affirmative action is comprised of programs and policies that grant favorable treatment on the basis of race or gender to government-defined “disadvantaged” individuals. However, affirmative action is not without its own challenges and difficulties. The main question that this thesis addresses is “what are the tensions between applying affirmative action policies in South African higher education institutions and the demands of a knowledge economy within a globalised world?” I argue that though universities need to be more demographically representative and broaden access to previously disadvantaged individuals by adjusting entry requirements, they cannot compromise on their quality of graduates by adjusting their exit criteria in line with racial representivity. That would undermine the very worth of higher education as a social good, the dignity of the individual graduate, as well as the economic growth of the country. Accusations that affirmative action is merely “reverse discrimination” are refuted by an appeal to Rawls’s Principle of Difference which holds that policies of inequality can be socially just. Drawing on Charles Taylor and Wally Morrow, I posit that within a democracy, affirmative action should be seen as a shared rather than a convergent good for broadening access to quality education. But whereas broadening formal access seems like a legitimate and necessary step to address the inherited inequities, the broadening of epistemological access would undermine the very aims of quality education. Furthermore, I argue that formal access should be driven by the politics of difference, but that epistemological access that ensures educational success should be driven by the politics of equal dignity. In order to see how some of these concepts and policies of affirmative action play out in an actual institution, I look at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Here the main debates relating to its affirmative action policy are whether demographic representivity is the only outcome for evaluating the success of affirmative action, and whether “disadvantaged” individuals should be selected on criteria other than race. It also considers whether its affirmative action policies could compromise its functioning and ability to supply quality qualifications to the required number of disadvantaged individuals. There is no easy and simple answer to whether affirmative action in fact promotes equal opportunity to higher education and equips all South African graduates with the necessary skills for a knowledge economy. It would be therefore important to do further research on what nonrace based affirmative action policies might entail while keeping in mind the shifts in the global economy and the need for academic rigor. Furthermore, more longitudinal research needs to be done on the complex consequences of affirmative action, on both an individual level with issues of identity and career mobility, and on a broader socio-economic level with issues of economic growth and social welfare. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika moet hom beywer tot die daarstelling van gelyke geleenthede vir almal tot hoëronderwys, en gegewe dat daar ’n behoefte is om drastiese ongelykhede van apartheid reg te stel, word regstellende aksie gesien as a strategie om beide doelstellings na te streef. Regstellende aksie bestaan uit programme en beleide wat daarop gemik is om begunstigde behandeling te dien aan “voorheen benadeelde” individue, soos deur die staat gedefineer, op grond van ras en geslag. Maar regstellende aksie is nie sonder sy eie uitdagings en swaarhede nie. Die hoofvraag wat hierdie tesis addreseer, is: “Watter gespannenhede is daar tussen die uitvoering van regstellende aksie beleide in Suid-Afrikaanse Hoëronderwys instellings en die eise van ’n kennis-ekonomie binne ’n geglobaliseerde wêreld?” Ek argumenteer dat, ofskoon daar ’n behoefte is vir universiteite om meer demografies verteenwoordigend te wees en hul toegang tot voorheen benadeelde individue te verbreed deur toelatingsvereistes te wysig, kan hulle nie kompromeer op hul gehalte van gegradueerdes deur uitgangskriteria in lyn met ras verteenwoordiging nie. Dit sal juis die waarde van hoëronderwys as ’n sosiale goedheid, die waardigheid van die individule gegradueerde asook die ekonomiese groei van die land ondermyn. Aantygings dat regstellende aksie bloot “wedergekeerde diskriminasie” is, word weerlê deur ’n verwysing na Rawls se Beginsel van Verskil wat stel dat beleide van ongelykhede maatskaplike regverdiging kan hê. Gegrond op Charles Taylor en Wally Morrow, postuleer ek dat, binne ’n demokrasie, regstellende aksie beskou moet word as ’n gedeelde eerder as ’n konvergente goedheid om gehalte onderwys verder toeganklik te maak. Maar waar verbrede formele toegang gesien kan word as ’n wettige en nodige stap om geërfde ongelykhede aan te spreek, sal die verbreding van epistemologiese toegang juis die doelstellings van gehalte onderwys ondermyn. Verder voer ek aan dat formele toegang aangedryf moet word deur die politiek van verskil, maar dat epistemologiese toegang wat opvoedkundige sukses verseker, aangedryf moet word deur die politiek van gelyke waardigheid. Ten einde te sien hoe van hierdie konsepte en beleide van regstellende aksie hulself uitspeel in eintlike inrigtings van onderwys, kyk ek na die Universiteit Kaapstad (UK). Hier draai die debat aangaande regstellende aksie beleid om of die demografiese verteenwoordiging die enigste uitkoms is ter evaluering van die sukses van regstellende aksie, en of “benadeelde” individue geselekteer moet word op grond van kriteria anders as ras. Dit (UK) oorweeg ook of sy regstellende beleide sy funksionering en vermoë om gehalte kwalifikasies aan die verlangde getal benadeelde individue kompromiteer. Daar is geen eenvoudige en maklike antwoord betreffende regstellende aksie en of dit gelyke geleenthede tot hoëronderwys promoveer en alle Suid-Afrikaanse gegradueerders toerus met die nodige bevoegdhede vir ’n kennis-ekonomie nie. Dit sal derhalwe belangrik wees om verdere navorsing te doen oor wat nie-rasgebaseerde regstellende aksie kan behels terwyl in gedagte gehou word die skuiwe in die globale ekonomie en die behoefte aan akademiese kwaliteit. Verder moet veel meer longitudinale navorsing gedoen word oor die ingewikkelde gevolge van regstellende aksie op beide die individuele vlak met kwessies van identiteit en beroepsmobiliteit en op breër sosio-ekonomiese vlak met kwessies van ekonomiese groei en maatskaaplike welsyn.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This is an exploratory study of how school leaders can negotiate the various spaces in their schools in order to promote teacher motivation and, by implication, learner achievement. This research focuses on how three principals in the Western Cape Province have produced or re-appropriated spaces to create new, productive learning environments which positively engage the users of these spaces. According to section 4 of the Employment of Educators Act 76 of 1998 (PAM), all school leaders are expected to create a learning space that is conducive to teaching and learning. In order to know what such a leadership responsibility may entail, this study tries to capture the dynamic interplay between physical (perceived) and mental (conceived) spaces as embodied in social (lived) spaces in a school. It uses Lefebvre‟s spatial triad as its theoretical lens. Linked to the study‟s aim to investigate what the interplay is between the various Lefebvrean spaces in schools, is an examination of how school leaders can manage to negotiate the production of these spaces. For lived school spaces to have embodied meaning that is conducive to teaching and learning, they must be co-produced and co-owned by the users of that space. To illuminate the way in which school leaders can achieve this, the study draws on a model of transformational leadership. The qualitative study uses a focus group, individual interviews and observations of three schools that have all achieved recognition as schools with excellent learner achievement: a public primary school, a public high school and an independent high school. The main research findings are that each of the three school leaders instinctively followed a transformational leadership style, and produced spaces that encouraged professional interaction amongst their teachers as well as strong collegial support for their spatial changes. The staffrooms have been modernised and equipped with lush furniture, flat screen TV‟s, appealing decorations and stimulating pictures, all with the purpose of lifting the spirits and energy levels of the staff. In addition, teachers‟ professional meeting rooms and confidential workspaces have been established. Classrooms have been changed into inviting and functional 21st century ICT learning spaces, with flexible use of furniture and stimulating visuals. Outdoor learning spaces and safe “emotional zones” have been constructed At all three schools the entrances and receptions areas have been made into welcoming spaces in which learners can gather for meetings, and the schools‟ symbols and achievements are showcased. Clear signposting makes the visitor feel engaged. Braai areas for teacher and parent functions ensure that the school keeps parents involved. The main findings about the embodied spaces in the school are that the three school leaders have changed the physical spaces at their schools into new mental spaces which influence the perception, mood and motivation of the users of that space. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie verken hoe skoolleiers die verskillende ruimtes in hul skole kan aanwend ten einde onderwysermotivering, en gevolglik ook leerderprestasie, te bevorder. Die navorsing konsentreer op hoe drie skoolhoofde in die Wes-Kaapse provinsie ruimtes geskep of heringerig het om nuwe, produktiewe leeromgewings teweeg te bring wat die gebruikers van hierdie ruimtes op 'n positiewe manier by onderrig betrek. Ingevolge artikel 4 van die Wet op Indiensneming van Opvoeders, Wet 76 van 1998 (PAM), moet alle skoolhoofde 'n bevorderlike ruimte vir onderrig en leer skep. Ten einde vas te stel wat sodanige leierskapsverantwoordelikheid behels, probeer hierdie studie die dinamiese wisselwerking tussen fisiese of waargenome (“perceived space”) en voorgestelde of veronderstelde (“conceived space”) ruimtes beskryf soos dit in die sosiale of belewingsruimtes (“lived spaces”) in 'n skool vergestalt word. Die navorsing gebruik Lefebvre se ruimtelike triade as teoretiese lens. Benewens die studiedoelwit om ondersoek in te stel na watter wisselwerking daar tussen Lefebvre se verskillende ruimtes in skole plaasvind, val die soeklig ook op hoe skoolleiers die skepping van hierdie ruimtes kan hanteer. Belewingsruimtes in skole sal slegs oor die nodige vergestalte betekenis beskik om onderrig en leer te bevorder indien die gebruikers van daardie ruimtes dit help skep en as hul eie aanvaar. Die studie put uit 'n model van transformasionele leierskap om lig te werp op hoe skoolleiers dít kan bereik. Hierdie kwalitatiewe studie gebruik 'n fokusgroep, individuele onderhoude sowel as waarnemings in drie skole wat bekend is vir hul uitnemende leerderprestasie: 'n openbare laerskool, 'n openbare hoërskool en 'n onafhanklike hoërskool. Die hoofbevindinge is dat elk van die drie skoolleiers instinktief 'n transformasionele leierskapstyl volg en ruimtes geskep het wat professionele wisselwerking tussen hul onderwysers sowel as sterk kollegiale steun vir hul ruimtelike veranderinge aanmoedig. Die personeelkamers is modern ingerig met gemaklike meubels, platskermtelevisies, aantreklike versierings en stimulerende prente, wat alles ten doel het om personeel se geesdrif en energievlakke te verhoog. Voorts is professionele vergaderlokale en vertroulike werkruimtes vir onderwysers tot stand gebring. Klaskamers is omskep in aantreklike en funksionele, 21ste-eeuse IKT-leerruimtes, met buigsame gebruik van meubels en stimulerende visuele elemente. Buitelugleerruimtes en veilige "emosionele sones" is ook geskep. By ál drie skole is die ingange en ontvangslokale in aanloklike ruimtes verander waar leerders vir vergaderings kan byeenkom en die skole se simbole en prestasies ten toon gestel word. Duidelike aanwysings betrek besoekers onmiddellik by die skoolomgewing. Braaigeriewe vir onderwyser-en-ouergeleenthede verseker ook voortdurende skakeling tussen die skool en ouers. Die hoofbevinding oor die belewingsruimtes in die skole is dat die drie skoolleiers die fisiese ruimtes by hul skole in nuwe geestesruimtes omskep het, wat die opvattings, gemoed en motivering van die gebruikers van daardie ruimtes beïnvloed.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Bibliography / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die interpretering van beleid en die toepassing daarvan in die werkplek was nog altyd ’n aanvegbare aspek, omdat beleid nie ’n geslote entiteit is nie en dus oop is vir verskillende interpretasies deur die toepassers van beleid. Die aanvegbaarheid van beleid kan duidelik waargeneem word met die toepassing van die Nasionale Assesserings Beleid van 1998 op die Suid-Afrikaanse skoolgemeenskap. In hierdie trant is die hoofdoel van my studie om ondersoek in te stel na die implikasie wat die toepassing van beleid rakende die klassifikasie van primêre skole as onderpresterende skole op die skole se skoolkultuur,het en hoe sommige onderwysers teenoor so ‘n klassifikasie reageer. Met hierdie studie wil ek ’n interpreterende ondersoek loods na die vraag: “Hoe beleef onderwysers hul skoolkultuur nadat hul skole deur die Wes-Kaapse Onderwys Departement as onderpresterende skole klassifiseer is. Ek beskou dit as ’n belangrike vraag vir ondersoek omdat die literatuur rakende skoolkultuur en skool prestasie daarop dui dat hierdie twee aspekte as kritieke elemente beskou word in die skoolopset. Om hierdie rede ondersoek ek hierdie verskynsel in my onmiddelike skool omgewing om begrip te toon vir die wedersydse invloed wat hierdie elemente op mekaar het. Hierdie vraag word beredeneer teen die agtergrond van Suid-Afrika se deelname aan toetse van die ligame van internasionale akademiese prestasies en die onbevredigende uitlae wat tydens die deelname aan hierdie toetse verwerf is. Vanuit nege en dertig deelnemende lande het Suid -Afrika laaste geëindig. Ek loods my studie vanuit ’n kwalitatiewe interpreterende ondersoek aan drie laerskole en nege geselekteerde opvoeders oor die prestasie wat die Intermediëre Fase (graad ses) verwerf het in die aanname en inwerkingstelling van die Sistemiese Evalueringstoetse vanaf 2007 tot 2010 in Geletterdheid en Wiskunde as ’n uitvloeisel van die Nasionale Assesserings Beleid van 1998. Ek doen ’n beleidsanalise voortspruitend uit ’n historiese oorsig en konteks van skool en prestasie verskille wat in die onderwysopset aangetref word. My fokus is egter op die onderwysers se respons as gevolg van die klassifikasie van hul skool as ’n onderpresterende skool. Hierdie ondersoek word ingestel deur gebruik te maak van semi gestruktureerde onderhoudvoering met respondente van drie steekproefskole en ’n vergelyking van sistemiese toets uitslae en interne evaluerings uitslae. Vanuit die verkennende analises en die literatuur is gevind dat skoolkultuur ’n deurslaggewende bepaler in terme van leerderprestasie is. Waar skoolkultuur in presterende skole positief bydra tot die prestasie en werklewering van die skool, is dit ’n negatiewe determinant by die onderpresterende skole. Dit volgens Fleisch dui daarop dat die Suid- Afrikaanse onderwysopset nog steeds in twee afdelings fungeer naamlik die presterende voorheen bevoordeelde skole en aan die anderkant die onderpresterende voorheen benadeelde skole. Die onderwysers het ook gevoel dat hierdie aspek buite rekening is gelaat met die implementering van die sistemiese toetse en die gevolglike klassifikasie van die skole. Tydens die uitvoering van die studie het ek gevind dat die respondente van die deelnemende skole saamgestem dat ’n positiewe skoolkultuur leerderprestasie positief kan beïnvloed. Hulle het erken dat hulle in gebreke gebly het om ‘n positiewe skoolkultuur te ontwikkel en te handhaaf. Ek eksploreer die respondente se uitleef van hul skoolkultuur, magsverhoudinge en konseptualisering van hul identiteit aan die hand van hul gegewe klassifikasie. In die ondersoek het ek bevind dat daar ’n negatiewe skoolkultuur heers by skole wat as onderpresterende skole geklassifiseer is. Hierdie negatiewe skoolkultuur het ook veroorsaak dat onderwysers ’n probleem ondervind het met die magsverhouding wat daar bestaan het tussen hulle en die Onderwys Department. Hulle het dit gesien as ’n “top down” verhouding waarin hulle geen inspraak het nie. ’n Verdere uitspruitsel uit die negatiewe klassifikasie van die skool het daartoe gelei dat die onderwysers ’n negatiewe siening van hul identiteit as onderwysers ontwikkel het. Vanuit die literatuur wat handel oor die herstel van onderpresterende skole, stel ek die moontlikheid van die toepassing van transformasionele leierskap wat geimplementeer kan word in die bestuur van die deelnemenende skole as een van die strategieë om vanuit hul klassifikasie van onderprestering te kom. Hierdie navorsing het ten doel om die onderwysers se belewenis van hul skoolkultuur te weergee nadat hul skole geklassfiseer is as onderpresterend as gevolg van beleidstoepassing deur die Wes – Kaapse Onderwys Departement. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The interpretation and application of policy in the workplace will always be a contentious issue, because policy is not a closed entity but is open to different interpretations by its users. This contentiousness of policy is clearly illustrated with the application of the National Assessment Policy of 1998 on the education community of South – Africa. Along these lines my study will try to address the question: “How do teachers in underperforming schools give meaning to their school culture after their schools have been classified as underperforming schools by the Western Cape Education Department?” I see it as a very important question as it explores the interrelationships between school culture and school performance. These two elements are regarded as critical elements that can either create a positive or a negative school environment. And in that sense I want to have an understanding of its influence in my immediate school environment. This question is being argued against the backdrop of South - Africa’s participation in the tests of international bodies of academic performance where the country performed poorly. From thirty nine participating countries, South Africa achieved the lowest mean test score. My study is piloted in a qualitative interpretive enquiry at three different primary schools and nine pre- selected teachers in connection with the results obtained from the systemic evaluation tests which was administered in the intermediate phase (grade six) from 2007 up to 2010 in the learning areas Literacy and Numeracy. The Systemic Evaluation Tests stems from the National Assessment Policy of 1998 and was conducted as a measure to ensure the success of the learning centers and to improve learning systems. In this study I am conducting an analysis of education policy and also giving a historical overview of educational differences of schooling in South Africa. The focus however is on the teachers’ response as a result of their schools’’ being classified as underperforming schools. I am employing semi - structured interviews and do a comparison of the systemic results and the results obtained from the continuous assessment of the different schools. From the analyses and a study of the literature I found that school culture plays a defining role in learner performance. I also found that school culture can act as a positive enhancer in performing schools and can also act as a deterrent in underperforming schools. The results obtained from the systemic evaluation also shows that the South African education system still comprises of two separate education systems according to Fleisch. He holds the notion that there are the performing previously advantaged schools and the underperforming previously disadvantaged schools. The teachers felt that no consideration was given to the impact that the negative school culture and the impact of the environment could bear on the performances of the learners from the underperforming schools. My respondents acknowledged that a positive school culture could enhance learner performances and also conceded that they neglected to build and maintain a positive school culture. I then explore how my respondents gave meaning to their school culture, conceptualize power relations and identity formation after being classified as underperforming schools. In my study I found that there is a negative culture present in the underperforming schools. And it negatively influences the conceptualization of the teachers of the power relationship between them and the Education Department. They see the power relation as “top down” and something in which they have no say in. Due to the negative relationship between the teachers and the Education Department, the teachers also experiencing difficulties in dealing with their own identity as they view themselves as underperforming teachers as a result of the classification of their schools. Dealing with the literature regarding the rehabilitation of underperforming schools, I explore the possibility of employing Transformational Leadership as a strategy to deconstruct their image of underperformance. This research aims to show how teachers give meaning to their school culture after their schools were classified as underperforming due to policy applications by the Western Cape Education Department.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With the coming of a new education and training dispensation in 1994 came the idea that equal opportunities for all learners could be created within different learning institutions - via the creation of new institutional and qualifications framework - and in so doing encourage equal opportunities through proper articulation, portability, and mobility within the different phases of the various education bands. As education and training provision and learning is complexly intertwined with its appraisal, assessment was regarded as one of the main processes to find out whether learning had taken place, on the goal and quality of that learning, as well as pointing to the kinds of ways in which teaching and learning could be further improved. In my study I focused on how educators and trainers within the differentiated Further Education and Training (FET) Band spoke about and understood assessment, with the aim of the study being to analyse how assessment is understood in three different sites of provision within the FET band. The main goal was to better understand challenges at the ground level of policy implementation. A further goal was to explore some of the ways in which the role and function of assessment in our contemporary society was understood, and whether, in its present formulation, it served the purposes that much of the policies and reform statements claimed. The study’s main claim is that educators and trainers in the FET Band in South Africa mainly experience assessment processes, criteria, and frameworks as a form of jargon, and that they translate ‘the jargon’ into ‘judgements of value’ about learning and knowledge that lead to quite different approaches being followed at different sites. It is argued that this scenario would be acceptable in terms of different work settings - producing different kinds of skills for the economy- were it not that the education and training infrastructure in South Africa remains perhaps too preoccupied with achieving a principle of similarity across the FET Band.