No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Kwazulu-Natal, 2006.

The present study explores the barriers to academic achievement of first year African / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of computer technology on teaching Natural Science (NS) in grade 8 classes. Computer technology is the powerful and influential tool in teaching and learning situation. When it is used appropriately it will support the NS educators in their teaching of NS. Indeed computer technology could be used to redress the inequalities of the past, especially in the teaching of Natural Science as they offer the educators whether in rural or urban area a common base of knowledge and experience. The term computer technology is used interchangeable with the term Information and Communication Technology. The term computer technology has the different meanings from the different authors but in these meanings that they gave, there are similarities that computer technology is a tool used for developing, implementing and evaluating the teachings aids. There are different ideas about the impact of computer technology on teaching NS because other authors in their studies state that it has a positive impact yet others state the negative impact of computer technology. Those they state the positive impact look at a dimension of the developing the teaching skills, creative thinking and problem solving skills in education. The other authors state the negative impact of computer technology look on the dimension that it is too early to conclude that computer technology has a good impact because some of the educators in the teaching field are not well trained to teach using computers. They also state that computer technology will have negative impact on teaching because in the schools where these educators worked there is no follow up after they attended the workshops to look that are they do what they are trained to do. The findings show that computer technology has a positive impact because 75% educators have a full understanding of computer technology and they apply in their teaching and learning of NS. This means that these results are supporting ideas of these authors that they were stating that computer technology has positive impact. There were few educators that they have no understanding of teaching using computers so they have a negative attitude of computer uses in teaching. These educators are supporting the views of the authors that in their studies they shown the negative side of computer technology in teaching. This study concludes that the Dinaledi project and the department of education must make it sure that they do the follow up that computers are used purposeful to schools that they have them. The trainings workshops must be long so these educators will acquire these teaching skills thoroughly. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Kwazulu-Natal, 2006.

Abstract not available. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Kwazulu-Natal, 2005.

This study aims to investigate how isiZulu literary texts that are prescribed at secondary schools perpetuate and reinforce gender stereotypes. Situated within the interpretive paradigm, the study is a qualitative case study of one secondary school at Nkandla area, in Northern KwaZulu-Natal. Semi-structured interviews with teachers at the school as well as the Department of Education official were used to collect data. The DoE official that was interviewed is one of the personnel responsible for the selection of isiZulu literary texts for schools. Teachers interviewed were also responsible for the selection of isiZulu literary texts in the school for grades eight to ten. A semi structured interview schedule was developed as a research instrument. Content analysis was used to analyse selected literary texts as well as the Department of Education guidelines document for the selection and prescription of isiZulu literary texts. Pharr's (1988) theory of oppression as well as two of the five faces of oppression formulated by Young (1990) were used to develop a conceptual framework for the study. Findings of the study indicate that in ten out of the eleven books that were analysed, both males and females are stereotypically represented. In these books women are portrayed as nurturers, housewives, dependent, and so on. On the other side, men are portrayed as heads of families, independent, successful, artful, business people, strong, and so on. Only one book was found to challenge the stereotypes about women and men. Recommendations were formulated. Among others, it is recommended that further research be conducted to explore gender issues during the process of selection and prescription of isiZulu literary texts to be used in schools. Lolu cwanmgo luWose ukuhlola ukuthi imibhalo yobuciko yesiZulu efundwa ezikoleni zamabanga aphezulu iyigqugquzela kanjani imibono emlswe ngokobulili. Ngaphansi kwepharadaymu yomhumusho (interpretive paradigm) lolu lucwaningo lwesimo sotho (qualitative case study) lwesikole esisendaweni yaseNkandla, enhla nekwaZulu-Natali. Kusetshenziswe inhlololwazi esakuhleleka ukuqoqa ulwazi kothisha nasesikhulwini soMnyango WezeMfundo. Isikhulu soMnyango WezeMfundo esahlanganyela kulolu cwanmgo slymgxenye ekuqokweni kwemibhalo yobuciko yesiZulu efundwayo ezikoleni. Othisha abangabahlanganyeli (ababebambe iqhaza) kulolu cwaningo bayingxenye futhi ekuqokweni kwemibhalo yobuciko yesiZulu yamabanga esishiyagalombili kuya kweleshumi esikoleni abafundisa kuso. Kusetshenziswe isheduli yenhlololwazi esakuWeleka ukuthola ulwazi esikhulwini soMnyango WezeMfundo kanye nakothisha. Kuphinde kwasetshenziswa uhlaziyo lokuqukethwe (content analysis) ukucubungula imibhalo yobuciko kanye nomhlahlandlela woMnyango WezeMfundo olawula ukuqokwa kwezincwadi (imibhalo yobuciko. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.

This study explores how women in management are perceived especially in a Kwa-Dukuza Lower Tugela primary school (with the pseudonym, Mbonisweni). Mhonisweni is situated 5 kilometers away from my school. I was motivated to conduct this study by the negative perceptions of women in management positions that I detected in my own school (with the pseudonym, Vela). Vela is a new primary school, which was established as a result of overcrowding at Siyathuthuka senior primary school, which was at first a combined primary school. I was interested to see if a similar situation pertained at Mbonisweni and to find out what might he the reasons for any negative perception of women managers. Data for this study was collected through semi-structured interviews with eight educators from Mbonisweni Primary, including the principal of the school, 4 management team members and the 4 educators (two females and two males). The study found that evidence of some negativity towards the school principal and in some cases such negativity was based on gender stereotyped attitudes. The situation was not, however, simple. Prior to conducting the research I had anticipated that there might be strong support from female HODs and educators for the female principal (manager) but this was not uniformly the case nor was it the case that all males in the study were opposed to the female manager. The situation was more complex. Three quarters of the males interviewed supported the female management although their support did not mean that male teachers were in necessarily in favour of gender equity more broadly nor did it preclude some men from expressing view that could be seen as sexist. While three quarters of the females interviewed also supported the female management it was clear that no encompassing bond of sisterhood exited by which women automatically supported the females in the school's management team. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2007.

The purpose of this study was to investigate educators perceptions of the impact of the / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

The vision of education policies in South Africa, post 1994 is to shift management practices from traditional autocratic headship to a multiple- leader perspective where leadership is dispersed across the school organization. Within this distributive perspective of leadership lies the notion of teacher leadership. However, the conceptual understanding of teacher leadership is still in its infancy in South Africa and, of even greater concern is that the practice of teacher leadership is not deeply rooted in the culture of many of the country’s schools.Theorizing from a distributed leadership framework, this small-scale study examines teacher leadership in action. The purpose of the study was to examine how teacher leadership was enacted and to explore that factors that enhanced and hindered this enactment in the case study school. The study was conducted within a qualitative interpretive paradigm and took the form of a case study of three post level one teachers and their enactment of leadership in a semi-urban secondary school in KwaZulu-Natal. Data collection techniques included semi -structured individual interviews, a focus group interview, self-reflective journal writing, questionnaires, observation and document analysis. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis. Grant’s (2008) zones and roles model and Gunter’s (2005) characterisation of distributed leadership served as analytical tools in the study. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

Textbooks play an integral role in every teaching and learning process and they are the most essential tools used to transmit knowledge, skills and values to the learners. The purpose of this study was to examine if there is any change in knowledge representation and cognitive demands in the old curriculum and new curriculum grade 12 Geography textbooks. The study was informed by Bernstein’s concept of knowledge structures. The data were chapters from four grade 12 Geography textbooks. It employs a quantitative document analysis and an adapted analytical tool from Green and Naidoo (2008) was used to analyse data. The findings show that all the four texts contain more formal knowledge and more geographical images and definitions rather than everyday knowledge. The study also shows a noticeable change in the new curriculum textbooks regarding the number of tasks and questions used as a form of assessment. The new texts have a number of tasks and more questions in each task given but they show a minimal change in terms of cognitive levels, since across all the sampled textbooks most questions require understanding of factual knowledge. There are only few questions that engage learners in the other higher cognitive levels of reasoning other than understanding. In the old curriculum texts there is more geographic content and subject specific images whereas in the new curriculum texts there is less content and more space is taken by assessment tasks and images. The study concludes that in terms of content knowledge there is no substantial change in the new textbooks. There is little integration in terms of knowledge within the subject, between geography and other subjects, and between subject knowledge and everyday knowledge. There is some change in the kinds of knowledge assessed in the tasks. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of alternative treatment to Ritalin. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Durban Westville, 2005.