Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Curriculum Studies / PhD / Unrestricted

Despite the DoE having made progress in providing training to teachers in the necessary skills, the inclusive education teachers were experiencing challenges to implementing inclusive practises in their schools and that some schools had not even commenced with implementation. They were raising a concern over their professional development, particularly its effectiveness. This study investigates the nature of professional development support offered to teachers in implementing inclusive education, in order to suggest effective strategies. The qualitative approach and multiple case study design were employed .The data collecting instruments used were: individual interviews, observation and documentation. The current professional development model used for inclusive education was not effective therefore strategies are needed to improve the current professional development. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Induction for teacher development is important for quality teaching and learning to take place in schools. The process of induction should be well-structured so that it is not mistaken as just an orientation to school procedures; it should be well-planned and implemented for the purposes of professional development and support (Rolley, 2001). The main aim of this study was to investigate beginner educators’ experiences of the induction process for professional development in the Bochum East Circuit of Limpopo Province. The assumption was that if schools are held accountable for learner performance, then support measures in terms of induction should be provided to newly appointed educators. Poor performance or educator turnover can sometimes be ascribed to inadequate interventions or the design of educator induction programmes. Although educators may have received the best training at university or training college, they still need to adjust to the realities of classrooms. To achieve the aim of the study, a qualitative research approach was followed to collect data through semi-structured interviews. The study is ensconced in the Educator Development Theory which acknowledges that educator preparation is rarely sufficient to provide all the knowledge and skills necessary for successful teaching. A great deal of knowledge and many skills are, mostly, acquired while on the job and principals should, therefore, adequately induct newly appointed educators. Four beginner educators and two principals from average performing primary schools were purposively sampled in the Bochum East Circuit of the Limpopo Province. A thematic analysis was carried out to generate themes that addressed the problem of the study. The findings from participant responses revealed differences in an understanding of the induction process. Support from the principal, HoDs and fellow colleagues were considered to be part of induction. Recommendations include that educators should be given continuous professional development through standardised induction programmes which could be adjusted to the needs of the school. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Despite the DoE having made progress in providing training to teachers in the necessary skills, the inclusive education teachers were experiencing challenges to implementing inclusive practises in their schools and that some schools had not even commenced with implementation. They were raising a concern over their professional development, particularly its effectiveness. This study investigates the nature of professional development support offered to teachers in implementing inclusive education, in order to suggest effective strategies. The qualitative approach and multiple case study design were employed .The data collecting instruments used were: individual interviews, observation and documentation. The current professional development model used for inclusive education was not effective therefore strategies are needed to improve the current professional development. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Induction for teacher development is important for quality teaching and learning to take place in schools. The process of induction should be well-structured so that it is not mistaken as just an orientation to school procedures; it should be well-planned and implemented for the purposes of professional development and support (Rolley, 2001). The main aim of this study was to investigate beginner educators’ experiences of the induction process for professional development in the Bochum East Circuit of Limpopo Province. The assumption was that if schools are held accountable for learner performance, then support measures in terms of induction should be provided to newly appointed educators. Poor performance or educator turnover can sometimes be ascribed to inadequate interventions or the design of educator induction programmes. Although educators may have received the best training at university or training college, they still need to adjust to the realities of classrooms. To achieve the aim of the study, a qualitative research approach was followed to collect data through semi-structured interviews. The study is ensconced in the Educator Development Theory which acknowledges that educator preparation is rarely sufficient to provide all the knowledge and skills necessary for successful teaching. A great deal of knowledge and many skills are, mostly, acquired while on the job and principals should, therefore, adequately induct newly appointed educators. Four beginner educators and two principals from average performing primary schools were purposively sampled in the Bochum East Circuit of the Limpopo Province. A thematic analysis was carried out to generate themes that addressed the problem of the study. The findings from participant responses revealed differences in an understanding of the induction process. Support from the principal, HoDs and fellow colleagues were considered to be part of induction. Recommendations include that educators should be given continuous professional development through standardised induction programmes which could be adjusted to the needs of the school. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The purpose of this study was to explore and to describe experiences of learner nurses regarding clinical supervision at private hospitals in East London in the Eastern Cape. These were Life Healthcare hospitals. A qualitative, contextual approach was used and the exploratory, descriptive design was seen as most appropriate in this study. The subjects were the learner nurses in the Bridging Course Programme leading to registration as a General Nurse. The research questions were: How did you as a learner nurse, doing the Bridging Course, experience clinical supervision at Life Healthcare hospitals? A pilot study was conducted in a clinical setting involving respondents with similar characteristics to the study population. Fourteen participants were selected for this study by using a purposive, non-probability sampling method. Data were collected by means of individual interviews during which participants were able to describe their experiences during clinical supervision; data were collected until data saturation was reached.During data analysis, the researcher used the process of bracketing and remained neutral, setting aside previous knowledge and beliefs about the phenomenon under investigation. The researcher listened to the audiotapes used for data collection several times until she was completely satisfied with the interpretation of the verbatim data. Transcriptions were made within three days of the interview. The research was done in an ethically reflective manner and the researcher ensured the trustworthiness of the study at all times. The researcher allowed the participants freedom to conduct their lives as autonomous agents, without external The purpose of this study was to explore and to describe experiences of learner nurses regarding clinical supervision at private hospitals in East London in the Eastern Cape. These were Life Healthcare hospitals. A qualitative, contextual approach was used and the exploratory, descriptive design was seen as most appropriate in this study. The subjects were the learner nurses in the Bridging Course Programme leading to registration as a General Nurse. The research questions were: How did you as a learner nurse, doing the Bridging Course, experience clinical supervision at Life Healthcare hospitals? A pilot study was conducted in a clinical setting involving respondents with similar characteristics to the study population. Fourteen participants were selected for this study by using a purposive, non-probability sampling method. Data were collected by means of individual interviews during which participants were able to describe their experiences during clinical supervision; data were collected until data saturation was reached.During data analysis, the researcher used the process of bracketing and remained neutral, setting aside previous knowledge and beliefs about the phenomenon under investigation. The researcher listened to the audiotapes used for data collection several times until she was completely satisfied with the interpretation of the verbatim data. Transcriptions were made within three days of the interview. The research was done in an ethically reflective manner and the researcher ensured the trustworthiness of the study at all times. The researcher allowed the participants freedom to conduct their lives as autonomous agents, without external control, coercion or exploitation. The following findings were evident: Three main themes emerged from data analyses. These comprised inadequate clinical supervision, satisfactory clinical supervision and suggestions and inputs regarding clinical supervision. Detailed discussions about the findings in relation to earlier studies were conducted. Recommendations to improve clinical supervision were made in order to improve the experiences of learner nurses during training. The findings of the research will be made available through the University of Fort Hare library and the Life College of Learning. Furthermore the information of this study will be shared with colleagues and will be published in an accredited nursing journal such as Curationis as well as other journals.control, coercion or exploitation. The following findings were evident: Three main themes emerged from data analyses. These comprised inadequate clinical supervision, satisfactory clinical supervision and suggestions and inputs regarding clinical supervision. Detailed discussions about the findings in relation to earlier studies were conducted. Recommendations to improve clinical supervision were made in order to improve the experiences of learner nurses during training. The findings of the research will be made available through the University of Fort Hare library and the Life College of Learning. Furthermore the information of this study will be shared with colleagues and will be published in an accredited nursing journal such as Curationis as well as other journals.

The hypothesis derived from four case studies proposes that if at a philosophical level the training is choreographed at confusing levels of philosophical punctuations, and the training programme involves an ongoing commentary on the 'self' of the trainee, and this ongoing commentary interrupts or interferes with the process in which the 'self' comes to be defined, then on an experiential level the training context is unstable for experiential exploration, and the trainee experiences psychological discomfort. A further five case studies are investigated using focused interviews and content analysis to verify the hypothesis. The author-text-reader metaphor serves to describe the trainer-training-trainee relationship. This reveals that the trainee experiences psychological discomfort, often perceived as psychological damage, when the training text is incoherent and therefore unreadable. In each instance where the training text was found incoherent the trainer was identified as the author, and therefore responsible and accountable for the trainee's psychological discomfort. / Na aanleiding van vier gevallestudies word 'n hipotese afgelei wat voorstel dat wanneer opleiding op 'n filosofiese vlak gechoreografeer word vanuit onsamehangende vlakke van filosofiese punktuasies, en waar sogenaamde opleidingsprogramme voortgesette kommentaar op die 'self' van die student lewer, en waar hierdie voortgesette kommentaar die proses waardeur die 'self' gedefinieer word onderbreek of beinvloed, word die opleidingskonteks op 'n ervaringsvlak onstabiel vir ervaringsondersoek en die student beleef sielkundige ongemak. 'n Verdere vyf gevallestudies word daarna ondersoek, en deur middel van gefokusde onderhoude en inhoudsanalise word die hipotese bevestig. Die skrywer-teks-leser metafoor word dan aangewend om die dosent-opleiding-student verhouding te beskryf. Dit onthul dat die student sielkundige ongemak ervaar, dikwels beskou as sielkundige skade, wanneer die opleidingsteks onsamehangend en dus onleesbaar is. In elke geval waar die opleidingsteks onsamehangend bevind is, word die dosent as die skrywer geiidentifiseer en kan dus verantwoordelik en aanspreeklik gehou word vir die student se sielkundige ongemak. / Psychology / M. A. (Clinical Psychology)

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research project, conducted at AngloGold Limited, a Johannesburg based international mining company, was an evaluation of the extent to which the company had i'hlplemented the National Skills Development Strategy. It was prompted by the general perception that companies were lagging behind in the implementation of this strategy. The research problem therefore was: To what extent is AngloGold Limited progressing or lagging behind in the implementation of the National Skills Development Strategy? As the project sought to evaluate implementation progress, an evaluation research design was used. Since persons with in-depth knowledge of the implementation of the National Skills Development Strategy were available at AngloGold Limited, a purposive sampling method was used. Two techniques were used to gather information: individual semistructured interviews were conducted with AngloGold Limited personnel and union members, and an unstructured in-depth interview with a representative of the Mining Qualifications Authority. Documents of AngloGold Limited and of the Mining Qualifications Authority were also analysed, and a general review of pertinent literature was conducted. The literature traces the history of formal education and training in South Africa back to 1922, when the Apprenticeship Act (Act No. 26 of 1922) was enacted. Notable in the history of training in South Africa prior to the current dispensation of the National Skills Development Strategy was the Manpower Training Act (Act No. 56 of 1981. Notwithstanding its shortcomings, this Act provided a platform from which the current legislative framework for human resource education and training and subsequently the National Skills Development Strategy evolved. The National Skills Development Strategy, which is the government's education and training reform agenda, is one component of the all-encompassing Human Resources Development Strategy. This agenda is not modelled on the experience of any particular country; however, there is evidence that its conceptualisation was influenced to some extent by international practices. The National Skills Development Strategy is underpinned by three pieces of legislation, the South African Qualification Act (Act No. 58 of 1995), the Skills Development Act (Act No. 97 of 1998) and the Skills Development Levies Act (Act No.9 of 1999). The Employment Equity Act and the Further Education and Development Act also have a bearing on the National Skills Development Strategy. The Skills Development Act prescribes what is expected of workplaces/companies in the implementation of the National Skills Development Strategy. Workplaces play their part in the implementation of this strategy within the parameters of the implementation process at the macro level. At this level, the implementation process is progressing fairly well. The evaluation of the implementation of skills development at AngloGold Limited against what is expected of workplaces placed it among companies that are progressing well in the implementation of the National Skills Development Strategy. The company has so far complied with most of the implementation requirements, except for the strategy for company-wide communication of the National Skills Development Strategy process. The company needs to develop an effective and efficient information dissemination strategy to this end. Moreover, the company needs to move beyond reporting on training in terms of numbers to providing information on the actual skills acquired. Learnerships also need to be extended beyond the engineering discipline. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die navorsingsprojek was om vas te stel in hoe ver die maatskappy AngloGold Bpk, 'n internasionale mynboumaatskappy gesetel in Johannesburg, die Nasionale Vaardigheidsontwikkelingstrategie tot op hede geïmplementeer het. Die navorsing is aangespoor deur die algemene persepsie dat maatskappye in hierdie opsig besig is om agter te raak. Die probleemstelling was dus: In watter mate is AngloGold Beperk by of agter met die implementering van die Nasionale Vaardigheidsontwikkelingstrategie? Aangesien die oogmerk van die projek was om vordering met die implementering te evalueer, is 'n evalueringsontwerp gebruik. Vanweë die beskikbaarheid van persone by AngloGold Beperk met 'n diepgaande kennis van die implementering van die Nasionale Vaardigheidsontwikkeling strategie, is 'n doelbewuste steekproef geneem. Twee tegnieke is gebruik om inligting te verkry: individuele, semigestruktureerde onderhoude is met personeel van AngloGold Beperk gevoer en 'n ongestruktureerde, diepgaande onderhoud met 'n verteenwoordiger van die Mynboukwalifikasie-owerheid. Dokumente van AngloGold Beperk en van die Mynboukwalifikasie-owerheid is ook ontleed en 'n algemene oorsig oor die tersaaklike literatuur is onderneem. Die literatuur spoor die geskiedenis van formele opleiding en onderwys in Suid-Afrika terug tot 1922, toe die Vakleerlingwet (Wet Nr 26 van 1922) uitgevaardig is. 'n Baken in die geskiedenis van opleiding in Suid-Afrika voor die huidige bedeling van die Nasionale Vaardigheidsontwikkelingstrategie was die Wet op Mannekragopleiding (Wet 56 van 1981). Ondanks sy tekortkomings het hierdie wet die grondslag gelê waarop die huidige wetgewing op die opleiding en onderwys van menslike hulpbronne voortgebou het en die huidige Nasionale Vaardigheidsontwikkelingstrategie ontwikkel is. Die Nasionale Vaardigheidsontwikkelingstrategie is een komponent van die oorhoofse Menslike Hulpbronontwikkelingstrategie, wat die regering se agenda vir die hervorming van onderwys en opleiding vorm. Hierdie agenda is nie geskoei op die ondervinding van enige besondere land nie, maar daar is aanduidings dat die konsepsualisering daarvan in 'n mate deur internasionale praktyke beïnvloed is. Die Nasionale Vaardigheidsontwikkelingstrategie word gerugsteun deur drie wette, naamlik die Suid-Afrikaanse Kwalifikasiewet (Wet Nr 58 van 1995), die Wet op Vaardigheidsontwikkeling (Wet Nr 97 van 1998) en die Wet op Vaardigheidsontwikkelingsheffings (Wet Nr 9 van 1999). Die Wet op Diensbillikheid en die Wet op Voortgesette Onderwys en Ontwikkeling het ook betrekking op die Nasionale Vaardigheidsontwikkelingstrategie. Die Wet op Vaardigheidsontwikkeling skryf voor wat van werkplekke/maatskappye verwag word ten opsigte van die implementering van die Nasionale Vaardigheidsontwikkelingstrategie. Werkplekke speel hul rol in die implementering van hierdie strategie binne die parameters van die implementeringsproses op makrovlak. Op hierdie vlak verloop die implementeringsproses redelik vlot. Die evaluering van die implementering van vaardigheidsontwikkeling by AngloGold Beperk vergeleke met wat van werkplekke verwag word, het die maatskappy onder dié geplaas wat goed vorder met die implementering van die Nasionale Vaardigheidsontwikkelingstrategie. Tot dusver het die maatskappy die meeste van die implementeringsvereistes nagekom, behalwe die strategie vir maatskappy wye kommunikasie van die proses van die Nasionale Vaardigheidsontwikkelingstrategie. Die maatskappy moet dus 'n doeltreffende en effektiewe strategie ontwikkel om inligting oor die strategie te versprei. Daarbenewens moet die maatskappy verder gaan as die blote numeriese rapportering oor opleiding en ook inligting verskaf oor die vaardighede wat werklik verwerf is. Leerlingskappe moet ook verder strek as die ingenieursdissipline.

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In South Africa the transformation process in education has placed tremendous pressure on teachers, redefining roles, functions and imposing new levels of accountability on education professionals. This thesis is based on research examining teachers' experiences of and responses to the recent policy changes and their implications for teachers' work at primary school level. The research captures a small selection of the diverse views and reflections of teachers in case studies of in-service teacher education processes set against the backdrop of major educational changes driven by structural and policy changes in a changing socio-political context. The participants in the research project consisted of a selection serving (working) teachers who attended in-service teacher education programmes voluntarily. The interpretations of events reflect my own perspectives and are informed by both the participants in the research and the specific period in which the research took place. Data produced suggests that while the initial legislative changes took place fairly quickly, the implementation of more systemic, structural, curricular and administrative changes posed a greater challenge. Hastily introduced changes related to practice about which teachers were not consulted resulted in professional uncertainty being induced and teachers experiencing confusion, anxiety and doubts about their competence. Large numbers in classes, poor resources, micropolitical issues at schools, were mentioned as contextual constraints affecting implementation of changes as prescribed in policies. Small pockets of compliance with and support for change initiatives were however also evident in the responses. I contend that the overwhelmingly resistant responses of teachers in the case studies conducted are related to contextual constraints and the decontextualised, externally developed policies and externally imposed changes that ignore teachers' experience (as teacher and personal), beliefs, values and local contexts and broader social contexts. Further I posit that planning of change processes needs to involve teachers at all levels including policy development and in-service activities so that teachers are not only informed of changes but are part of the change process. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die transformasieproses van die onderwys in Suid-Afrika het geweldige druk op onderwysers geplaas omdat hulle rolle en funksies hergedefinieer is en nuwe vlakke van verantwoordelikheid op onderwyskundiges geplaas is. Die navorsing waaroor in hierdie tesis gerapporteer word, is gebaseer op onderwysers se ervarings van en reaksies op die onlangse veranderinge in beleidsdokumente. Die imp likasies vir die werk van onderwysers in die primêre skool word ook betrek. Die navorsing hanteer gevallestudies waarin 'n klein gedeelte aangespreek word van die diverse sienings en refleksies van onderwysers wat deelgeneem het aan indiensopleiding met die oog op die implementering van Kurrikulum 2005. Dit word gestel teen die agtergrond van die grootskaalse onderwysveranderinge as uitvloeisel van die strukturele en politieke veranderinge in 'n veranderende sosio-politieke konteks. Die deelnemers aan die navorsingsprojek was 'n seleksie diensdoende onderwysers wat die programme op 'n vrywillige basis bygewoon het. Alhoewel hulle reaksies as uitgangspunt vir die interpreasie van die resultate gebruik is, reflekteer die interpretasie my eie perspektiewe, gegrond op sowel die ervarings van die deelnemers aan die navorsingsproses as die tydperk waartydens die navorsing plaasgevind het. Die data wat geproduseer is, sugureer dat, in teenstelling met die relatief vinnige veranderinge van die aanvanklike wetgewing, die implementering van die meer sistematiese, strukturele, kurrikurêle en administratiewe veranderings 'n groter uitdaging gebied het. Veranderinge in verband met die onderwyspraktyk, wat baie vinnig ingebring is sonder om die onderwysers daaroor te raadpleeg, het tot professionele onsekerheid gelei, aangevul met verwardheid, vrees en twyfeloor hulle bekwaamheid. Groot klasse, gebrekkige hulpbronne, mikro-politiese sake by die skole, is genoem as kontekstuele beperkings wat die implementering van die voorgeskrewe beleidsveranderinge beïnvloed het. Slegs'n klein groepie onderwysers het die beleidsveranderinge aanvaar of ondersteun. Ek voer aan dat die oorweldigende aantal negatiewe response van onderwysers verband hou met kontekstuele beperkings en die gedekontekstualiseerde, eksternontwikkelde beleidsdokumente. Die veranderinge wat ekstern afgedwing is en wat onderwysers se waardes en plaaslike kontekste geïgnoreer het, speel volgens my ook 'n belangrike rol. Verder stel ek dit dat onderwysers op alle vlakke by die beplanning van veranderingsprosesse betrek moet word. Daarby word beleidsontwikkeling en aktiwiteite rondom indiensopleiding ingesluit sodat onderwysers nie slegs ingelig word nie, maar ook deel vorm van die proses.