To date, there has been little, if any, holistic evaluation of one of the BankSETA programmes that bank employees are nominated to attend, the Certificate in Management Development (CMD). The programme began in 2010 with the aim of increasing the pool of skills in entry-level management occupations in the banking and micro-finance sector (BankSETA, 2016). In order to verify whether the CMD programme has achieved the purpose for which it was instituted by the BankSETA, it is important that a programme evaluation be conducted. The main aim of this study was to undertake a holistic evaluation of the CMD programme to determine students’ perceptions, their increase in knowledge, their ability to apply on-the-job learning and the impact of the programme on the organisation. It also aimed to identify any barriers or obstacles and to provide recommendations to the BankSETA. Kirkpatrick’s (1996) four-level model of reaction, learning, behaviour and results was used as the theoretical framework for this study. A convergent parallel design was used to gather and analyse the data. The convergent design allowed the researcher to use quantitative and qualitative data-collection methods simultaneously, prioritising the methods equally and keeping each phase independent during analysis, and to then mix the results during the overall interpretation of the findings. The findings of this study highlight the importance of programme evaluation and how indispensable this practice is to the success of any programme. Even though positive results were conveyed at every phase of the study, there are certain areas that can be improved upon in order to maximise the outcomes of the CMD programme. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Owing to past injustices, the South African higher education sector is characterised by inequalities of resource allocation and of learning opportunities. Through the National Qualification Framework (NQF), recognition of prior learning (RPL) was established to address the previous inequalities in higher education and training. RPL can be used as a mechanism to offer non-traditional learners such as workers, adult learners, and community workers access to learning programmes in Library and Information Science (LIS) schools. It can also be used for up-skilling within LIS sector, to enable staff to migrate from paraprofessional to professional roles. LIS schools could possibly use this approach to offer experienced but unqualified library workers opportunities for progressive professional development and career growth. Despite it being a national policy and its obvious benefits, very little is known about RPL implementation in LIS schools in South Africa. This study was conducted to investigate the nature of RPL implementation in LIS schools in South Africa and make recommendations for effective and efficient RPL practice in these schools. The study used the questionnaire as the main data collection tool. In addition, document analysis was used to validate the collected data. The results of the study indicated that there were islands of good RPL practice in LIS schools in South Africa specifically with regard to the aspect of RPL assessment process. However, certain weaknesses were identified in other aspects of RPL implementation in LIS schools including the policy environment, training of personnel conducting RPL assessment and the quality management systems. Among other things, the study recommends that RPL quality management system (QMS) should ideally be driven by the head/chair of the school/department. Furthermore, an integrated student management system should be used to monitor the progression of RPL candidates through the formal academic system post RPL. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

The objective of education authorities worldwide is to enhance teachers’ professional capacities and practices through the supply of quality continuous professional development (CPD) activities. The South African education system has been subjected to many changes during the past two decades which have seriously affected the quality of education provided in schools country wide. Professional development (PD) of teachers has been found to be a key factor in raising standards in South African schools. Although the National Department of Education has identified teacher development as important, very little has transpired in the education system. School leaders should, therefore, take on the responsibility of providing their staff with PD opportunities. To support teachers in special schools and to enhance their professional capacity, the researcher designed, implemented and evaluated a collaborative PD model in six special schools in Gauteng. The aim of the study was to establish the value of the CPD programme on teachers’ learning, learners’ outcomes and whole school change. This multi-phased case study research was positioned within a bigger study conducted by the Gauteng Department of Education and in particular the Early Childhood Development Institute (ECDI). This larger study was based on the fact that most of the burn related accidents in South Africa occur in the 0-4 age group, which served as the rationale for including the fire safety programme in the ECD curriculum. The focus during the research was on the adaptation of fire safety activities and learners and teacher support materials for an inclusive classroom. This research reports on a two year study on the implementation of a CPD model based on collaboration and peer coaching. The theoretical framework for this study links to theories of constructivism, organisational theory of Senge, network and social capital. This research serves as an example of where valuable internal and external networks were formed for the benefit of all involved with the study. During this research theory and practice were successfully integrated for the benefit of the individual, the school and external organisations. / Department of Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

A quantitative, descriptive and contextual research study was conducted to establish the impact of the South African Nursing Council regulation number 212 on the training of theatre nurses in the Northern are of the Eastern Cape Province. A survey was conducted, using a questionnaire as research instrument. Convenience sampling was used to select the required sample of registered theatre nurses employed in the area. The data analysis revealed that the way theatre nurses are utilized in the area does not yet show an impact in terms of the aim of this course namely to develop their knowledge, skills and attitudes in order to be effective practitioners. However, the respondents felt positive about the curriculum. / Health Studies / MA (Health Studies)

Twenty four eThekwini HIV/AIDS counsellors based in four different work settings and who received training from five different training providers, shared their HIV/AIDS counsellor training experiences. The qualitative, phenomenological study utilized a multi-methods approach. The purpose of HIV/AIDS counselling lacks uniformity. Participants reflected upon their distinction between training satisfaction and perceived competency to render HIV/AIDS counselling after training. Although they were satisfied and empowered by the useful information gained, many felt inadequate to counsel an HIV positive person on completion of training. Inadequate practical learning opportunities were evident. Participants identified the need for a more balanced theoretical and practical training program incorporating experiential and didactic training methods. Entrance criteria to HIV/AIDS counsellor training courses and eventual assessment procedures in the study were diverse. Participants suggested improvements for training methods and course content and proposed a tiered training model that will result in standardized and certified training modules. / Social Work / MA(SS) (Social Work)

The out of field phenomenon, that is, educators who teach outside their field of expertise, adds complexity to the education environment. This growing phenomenon in South African schools impacts colleagues, learners, parents, governing bodies and school management. Teaching characteristics that ensure success in classrooms are threatened by the out of field phenomenon. It puts extra strain on school management's responsibility to provide quality management and jeopardises effective teaching and quality learning. This problem was investigated by a literature study and an empirical investigation using a qualitative approach. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with selected participants who shared their experiences of the phenomenon. Findings indicated that the existence of the out of field phenomenon should be recognised in order to provide substantial educator support and sufficient staff development programmes. It is recommended that new evidence-informed knowledge about the out of field phenomenon can contribute to improve effective decision making and policy developing in this regard. / Education management / M.Ed.

The aim of the study was to investigate the training of school governing bodies in the Free State Province from an education management point of view. Since 1994 the South African government has adopted a number of policy documents aimed at democratizing education in the country. The transformation of education in the new South African context encompasses the idea of partnership in which participants - such as parents, educators, learners (in secondary schools) play an active role in taking decisions on behalf of the school. The State alone cannot control schools, but has to share its power with other stakeholders. However, this can only happen if participants in school governance are trained to have power and the capacity to decide on matters affecting their schools. Hence, training is the cornerstone of affirming governors in the execution of their roles and responsibilities. Since school governing bodies are composed of a cross section of people with different ideologies, expectations and levels of education - training is necessary to prepare then for co-operative governance. Without adequate and on-going in-service training, it is unlikely that school governing body members can make informed decisions. The empirical method, namely qualitative research, was successful in obtaining information from participants about the training offered to them. It also established how participants felt and thought about their experiences and perceptions about the training they received, whether it built capacity or not. A number of recommendations were made with regard to the research findings for stakeholders to note. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

This study captures the transformation of a research methodology module and the workplace learning resulting from teaching research to senior police officers. Using ethnography, the study explores the initial development and transformation of the research module content and the ways in which the police trainers developed their practices to teach research methodology in the regulated police work environment. Through interviews, observations, document analyses and an ethnographic essay, the researcher uncovers the experiences and construction of knowledge at a SAPS Academy where research was taught and in the workplace during the ensuing experiential learning. The study revealed how the research module evolved through compensations made for shortcomings in the initial design. This was done by addressing changing organisational expectations and responding to specific needs of the adult learners. The trainers subsequently adapted their teaching approaches to cater for the specific needs of the learners and the organisation. At the same time, they also protected the reputation of the organisation and the integrity of the research module. The findings indicate that informal learning, constructed unintentionally, was more prominent in the workplace than the intended development of research skills. Evidence suggested that learning is indeed reliant on personal agency and that learning in communities of practice is very effective for the community. However, culture can become a barrier to learning when newcomers resist entry into such community or when its sub-culture conflicts with that of the bigger organisation. These experiences and lessons enabled the construction of a new three-phased research teaching model for organisations that wish to inculcate research as a problem–solving mechanism. The study has implications for policy-makers and educators as it emphasises the need to understand the theory of workplace learning and the necessity of making a deliberate effort to support learning in the workplace. When learning is not supported, employees develop undesirable skills to cope with the pressure of having to work and learn simultaneously. The study contributes to the existing knowledge of workplace theory, ethnographic research in police settings and research teaching pedagogy. The study highlights the need for further exploration of knowledge construction in communities of practice in regulated work environments where sub-cultures are in conflict with the organisational culture. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a programme aimed at equipping adult mine workers in the North-West Province in computer-based skills. The study describes how the use of computers for learning has transformed some of the mine workers in an Own-Time learning environment, where computers were integrated in their learning activities, compared to the Full-Time adult learning environment, which did not present a similar opportunity. The perspective of using a combination of two teaching methodologies in the Adult Education and Training (AET) curriculum provided at this mine sought to minimise the conventional didactic instructional approaches, whereby the facilitator does most of the talking while learners become passive listeners. Activity theory (AT), in tandem with the reviewed literature, was well suited as a theoretical framework for this study, since it takes a developmental view of minds and technological interaction in context. The activity system was used to map how existing work-related practices fitted into each component, which includes the subject, object, rule, community and division of labour. A case study was applied as a guiding design in the study in which seventeen mine workers participated. The computer activity was illustrated from multiple perspectives, using a qualitative approach and associated epistemologies and beliefs regarding the engagement with mediational tools. Boundary crossings, the zone of proximal development, and the eight-step-model from activity theory were used to scrutinise the learners’ beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, practices and contradictions. These important aspects assisted in obtaining data through participant observation, interviews and field notes. To discover patterns, concepts, themes and meanings from the notes and transcripts, data analysis was blended with these aspects. This study demonstrated the use of the above-mentioned methods at appropriate times. Without ideal and effective research methods, the quality of evidence of this study would have suffered and elucidations of connections would have been inadequate. The findings revealed that the AET programme made an impact on the company and on the individual participants, in their homes, their place of work, and their communities. Change in the workers’ performance after attending AET computer-based programmes was noticeable especially regarding their literate and numerate knowledge and skills. Contradictions and disturbances in the AET programme were also identified, and an intervention was proposed to facilitate a computer programme that includes the curriculum components such as mouse skills, keyboarding, data manipulation and desktop publishing. The study proposes that the AET policy needs to cover Own-Time learners, even though their learning is not obligatory, in the same way as it covers the Full-Time learners. A modified activity theory, contextualised for a situation such as that in the mine in question, was contributed in the study. Furthermore, some limitations and recommendations for future research were identified from the findings. The proposed AT for adult learners suggests a new way of exploring the practices of mind and technology interaction for adult learners, incorporating cultural backgrounds, age, language, values and beliefs as well as reflective decision making. / Science and Technology Education / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

Since the early 1990’s both South Africa and Namibia have been engaged in educational reform processes to address the discriminatory impacts and orientations of education under Bantu Education which were implemented in both countries prior to independence (Namibia in 1990, and South Africa in 1994). A feature of both educational reform processes is the underpinning theory of learning which draws on social constructivism, and which is articulated as learner centred education. This approach to teaching and learning infuses both policy frameworks. Another common feature is the introduction of environmental education into the formal education systems of both countries, a process which has been championed by development assistance, and which has been supported by programmes such as the Eco-Schools programme which is an international environmental education initiative started after the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, and implemented in a number of countries, including South Africa. The programme has also been piloted in some schools in Namibia. To date no research has been done on the way in which the Eco-Schools framework (its practices, organizing principles, evaluation processes etc.) enhance learner centred education. This study therefore aimed to investigate and understand how the Eco-Schools framework can enhance learner centred education. The study was conducted in 2007 in three Eco-Schools in Namibia and four Eco-Schools in South Africa in the context of the broader national programmes of implementing learner centred education policies, and environmental education histories. The study used a case study methodology, using observation, interviews, and document analysis as the main methods for data generation. The analytical process followed two stages: the first involved an inductive analysis using categories which were organized into a series of analytical memos. The second phase of data analysis involved recontextualising the data drawing on theory and contextual insights to provide insights that address the research question, using analytical statements. The main findings of the study are that the Eco-Schools framework provides numerous opportunities to enhance learner centred education, through contextualization of learning, through strengthening school-community interactions, and through enabling active involvement of learners in decision making and a range of contextually meaningful Eco-Schools practices. The study also showed that the Eco-Schools framework allows for empowerment of learners in relation to diverse needs, and also allows for learner initiated contributions, although this aspect was not well developed in the schools that were included in this study. The study also found that the benefits of Eco-Schools in terms of enhancing learner centred education were limited to only a few learners who were involved in club activities or who were being taught by enthusiastic teachers who were participating in the Eco-Schools programme. The study showed that these benefits can be more widely shared if more teachers were to get involved, and if the Eco-Schools programme were better understood in relation to the curriculum requirements of various subjects and learning areas, and if the Eco-Schools practices could be more successfully integrated across the curriculum. The study also showed that various forms of support were required for implementing the Eco-Schools programme, most notably the support of the Principal, and the Department of Education. The study also identified that parents and other stakeholders in the school were supportive of the Eco-Schools programme since it was perceived to have relevance to learning, as well as the community. The results broadly confirmed that the implementation of Eco-Schools using a whole school, values based and active learning approach promotes a school culture which enhances learner centred education more broadly across the school. The study also found that the Eco-Schools programme added a new dimension to existing discourses on learner centred education, which could be described as a community linked or situated approach to learner centred education.