Abstract not available. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Durban-Westville, 1995

Abstract not available. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Durban-Westville, 1975.

In the past learners with disabilities have experienced severe forms of discrimination, isolation and separation. They were perceived as persons with deficits and in need of help. They were separated from society as they were considered to be inadequate people. The discriminative practices against learners with disabilities and the doctrines of apartheid that contributed to discrimination and separation on racial differences resulted in learners with disabilities being doubly handicapped. The discrimination against learners with disabilities is largely the result of adherence to the medical model and deficit theory to disability. However, the current trends which support the social rights theory and ecological systems theory to disability which are consistent with the Constitution and its Bill of Rights, adopts an inclusive approach and promotes equal rights and equal opportunity to all people, including learners with disabilities. This commits schools to enrolling learners with disabilities and providing equal education opportunities for them. To provide a meaningful educational experience for all learners, education structures need to be enabled, and attitudes, teaching and learning methodologies, and the curriculum changed to reflect inclusive values. Furthermore, Education White Paper 6 (DoE, 2001) clearly states that classroom educators are the primary resource for achieving the goal of inclusive education. This implies that educators will need to be empowered to change their attitudes, refine their teaching practice and where necessary, develop new ones. Hence, this study aims to explore the teaching practices of special needs educators in the context of building an inclusive education system. A qualitative case study approach was adopted in this study, whereby six participants who were teaching at special schools were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule, exploring their day to day teaching practices. The findings reveal that the teaching practices of special needs educators are in line with inclusive practices that could benefit mainstream educators. Special needs educators adjust and adapt their teaching practice to accommodate and address the diverse needs of all the learners so that each individual learner receives a learning experience that "fits". However, acknowledgement and recommendations are made with regard to the challenges encountered when adapting teaching practices. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

The study was set out to investigate how selected historically disadvantaged schools in the Pietermaritzburg Education District, manage the prevalent non-payment of fees. The study used the survey method. The principals of schools were targeted because they are the accounting officers for the financial matters and executive members of the School Governing Bodies. Permission for conducting this research was obtained from the District Manager for the Department of Education and the principals of the sampled schools. For the purpose of data collection, the use of questionnaire and document analysis was adopted. Five principals, each representing their respective circuit in the District, responded to the questionnaire. The research studied financial records to obtain a general view of how principals manage school fees and to draw conclusion on the extent of non-payment of fees. The findings revealed that there is widespread tendency of non-payment of fees in schools. Poverty was cited as the reason for non-payment. Low and middle level income parents did not prioritise school fees from the lists of their accounts. Though principals understand that the victimising of non-paying learners of any form is contradictory to the South African Schools Act No 48 of 1996, they go on to withhold learners' results. Parents have not applied for school fee exemption and schools have not yet advised them to do so. Non-paying parents are reluctant to explain their position to the school and also unwilling to offer voluntary service to school as a form of payment. School fundraising efforts do not help them gain any reasonable amount of cash. The parental support in this venture is lacking. The study recommends that principals should look at other means of dealing with payment and should assist the eligible parents to apply for fee exemption. The Department of Education should consider scaling down personnel expenditure in the office based ranks to add more funds for teaching and learning in the historically disadvantaged schools. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, 2003.

The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights has as one of its components and the world call to achieve education for all has led to a number of countries' introduction of Free Education. In Lesotho the call was heeded with the introduction of the Free Primary Education Programme in phases as from the year 2000. It was with the advent of the Free Primary Education Programme that a number of adults who never had formal schooling and or who had very little schooling took advantage and enrolled in the mainstream of primary education. This study therefore investigates the teaching and learning processes of adult learners in the mainstream of primary education where the curriculum is designed for the school age learners. It consists of the in-depth investigations of three primary schools in the Southern districts of Lesotho namely Moyeni Primary and Zibandayo Primary in the district of Quthing; and Naleli Primary in the district of Mohales'hoek; This study also investigates how these schools handled the education of adult learners while still not compromising the tuition of the school age learners. It also tried to find solutions as to how best the tuition of the adult learners could be handled so as to benefit them and the country as a whole. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, 2002.

Many claims have been made in the literature about the motivational effects of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on learners, leading them to have a positive perception towards their work, spend longer periods on tasks and be more committed to their learning. The author of the present study has utilized their previous research evidence of motivation and the results of other previous projects to investigate the factors which motivate educators to use ICT. This project was initiated to investigate the educator's perception, which has contributed to the continued use of ICT, by educators experienced in using it for teaching. The evidence discussed in this paper was collected through a literature search, educator documents, educators' reports or observations and interviews. Weiner's analysis of motivation research and cognitivists theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour have been used as a basis for the analysis of the results. Research findings show that the motivational factors which correlated most positively with the use of ICT were: perceived ability to use Information Technology (IT); level of resources available and their satisfaction with IT; and whether using IT in teaching is considered to be interesting, valuable and enjoyable. The most significant negative factor was difficulties experienced in using IT. Researcher also found that a whole range of other perception factors attributed by the educators to using ICT. Such as: making the lessons more interesting for the educator, increasing learners' motivation, improving presentation of materials, making the teaching more enjoyable, improving the content of the lesson, and making the lessons more fun for the learners, were considered by the educator respondents to contribute to the learners' progress in learning. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

The study focuses on a partnered facilitation involving teachers, the media and the learner. The implications of educational technology-based strategies of learning and the need for teachers to develop a theoretical framework of understanding educational technology are considered. The partnership between the teacher, the learner and the media are seen as crucial to the implementation and enhancement of educational technology-based strategies of learning. In recommending the need for ongoing, sustained training of teachers in educational technology-based strategies of learning, the study concludes that satellite teachers' centre is indispensable as an agency to drive the entire process forward. In this regard it is considered that satellite teachers' centres have the potential to take the focus of training and development of skills closer to schools and arrange on-site programmes. The large mass of under-qualified and untrained teachers will be able to enhance their educational technology skills to facilitate resource-based learning which is so crucial to the new outcomes based approach to learning and education. South Africa has the media and a large population of learners who are yearning for quality education. In addition, the country has a large store of teachers who are in need of ongoing sustained training in educational technology-enhanced strategies of learning. The study concludes that teachers' centres have been under-utilised and that satellite teachers' centres could operate on a more structured basis in terms of an approved national policy. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1998.

This thesis is the result of some extensive research in England, Canada and the United States of America. Prominent educationalists were interviewed and research institutions were visited. Ideas and projects have been investigated and used to provide a foundation for remedial suggestions in the South African context. The nature of mathematics anxiety is fully discussed and provides a background to the complexities of the problem. The question of why mathematics is unique as a school subject is discussed and the manifestation of mathematics anxiety is described in terms of the interaction of socio-cultural, emotive, cognitive and educational influences. The measurement of mathematics anxiety is an important aspect of remediation and various assessment techniques are reviewed. Mathematics anxiety scales have evolved from scales measuring general and test anxiety. For the assessment of large groups the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS) or an adapted version of this scale is recommended whilst individual assessment is seen as the ideal when small groups of mathematics anxious pupils have been identified. Two adaptations of the MARS test were used in an exploratory study in a Durban primary school and a College of Education and the results of these tests are discussed. Treatment methods are categorised in terms of socio-cultural, emotive, cognitive and educational factors. In each category the idea of creating an awareness of the problem of mathematics anxiety amongst pupils, teachers and parents is seen as an important aspect of the remedial process. For this reason, background research and ideas are discussed before treatment methods are suggested. Intervention procedures involve general strategies as well as attention to individual difficulties. The importance of an early intervention programme is stressed but remedial methods are seen as flexible and adaptable to all education institutions. Proposed procedures are interrelated and overlapping In parts but provide a comprehensive answer to the complex problem of mathematics anxiety. The ultimate aim of a mathematics anxiety remediation programme should be to provide a better understanding of mathematics, a long-lasting improvement in mathematics ability and a greater enjoyment and appreciation of the subject. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, 1986

It is widely acknowledged that the role of the principal is critical in the maintenance and enhancement of quality in schooling. It follows that, not only should principals be adequately trained for their task, but also the best possible candidates should be appointed to positions of principal. Limited available research suggests that, throughout the world, processes of selection for principalship leave much to be desired. This dissertation examines one example of in-depth research into the process of selecting principals and draws attention to the weaknesses identified together with suggestions for improvement. This is followed by a consideration of what appears to be the characteristic process for the selection of principals in the KwaZulu Department of Education and Culture (KDEC). The 'ideal' process operating in the KDEC is then subjected, through empirical research, to the opinions of inspectors and principals in one circuit of the KDEC. The main findings in this connection are reported. Finally, in the light of overseas research and the products of research in the Mpumalanga Circuit of the KDEC, recommendations are offered for the possible improvement of the selection process for secondary school principals. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1994.

The Developmental Appraisal System (DAS) replaces an autocratic, judgemental and summative system which did not take into account the differing contextual factors that affect an educator's work. Often an inspector would arrive unannounced, observe a lesson, judge the educator and leave without offering any feedback. There was also very little understanding that ongoing professional development should be a part of all educators' lives. As a result educators feared and mistrusted the evaluation process. When this form of control was rejected, very little replaced it in the form of making sure that quality teaching and learning was taking place in the classroom. The post - apartheid government has put into place a number of policies and strategies to ensure that quality education takes place in our schools. One of the most important has been the developmental appraisal system. This system allows the educator to identify his own development needs through a democratic and formative process together with the participation of education managers, peers and experts. It is one of the tools that, if supported by the establishment of structure and systems, can have a major impact on our present education system. This case study is a qualitative study of the attitudes of the management members of Clairwood Secondary School towards the Developmental Appraisal System. The study aims to capture to some extent the views, feelings, attitudes and perceptions of the school's management towards DAS. The interviews with members of management has provided me with direct evidence of management's attitudes towards DAS. The overall impression gained from the study was that all members of management were favourably disposed towards DAS. DAS was found to be a good system and that it would definitely have a positive impact on whole school development. DAS allowed educators to talk about, review and reflect on their work, and to receive helpful and supportive advice and guidance. The DAS approach is developmental and it is important at the planning stage to build in time for reflection and for developing strategies for improvement. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Durban-Westville, 2002.