The aim of this study was to examine the alignment of teaching, learning and assessment in English home language in grade 10 in Johannesburg District 9. A literature study investigated the theoretical background to Outcomes-based education, the definition of outcomes, Outcomes-based assessment and the role of feedback in the alignment of teaching, learning and assessment. In addition this alignment in English home language was explored. For the qualitative investigation teachers from three schools participated in individual interviews and a content analysis. Major findings included: the teachers were intuitively aware of the importance of the alignment of teaching, learning and assessment, the implementation of the alignment was also intuitive and not explicitly planned. The teachers did not understand the assessment standards attached to each learning outcome. Continuous assessments were not used for learning. The study concludes with recommendations to improve the alignment of teaching, learning and assessment in English home language. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Specialisation in Curriculum Studies)

Text in Afrikaans / This qualitative study is aimed at analyzing teachers’ experiences of their role as assessors according to the assessment framework stated in the National Curriculum Statement 2002. A literature study was done. Subsequently, data was collected from interviews with eleven teachers from nine schools. All the respondents teach in the intermediate phase. The schools concerned are situated in the Tshwane Metropolitan area. Interviews were semi-structured. A holistic picture was focused on during the analyses of the interview texts. Data was organized according to four themes. The results of the analyses show that the teachers involved are dedicated to teaching. However, uncertainty as to the exact requirements of policy documents is prevalent. Help, support and training is asked for. / Teacher Education / M.Ed. (Spesialisering in Kurrikulumstudies)

Currently, South African special need schools that cater for intellectually disabled learners are implementing the continuous assessment policy statement (CAPS). This study explored the CAPS curriculum which is used in special needs schools, in order to determine whether or not it can develop disabled learners intellectually. In other words, can the curriculum be used to ensure that disabled learners are also prepared for future employment opportunities? Disabled learners also have a constitutional right to be lead through education to independent adulthood. This study looks at the characteristics of the intellectually disabled. It mentions some of the official South African documents in this regard and then discusses the theory of Paolo Freire. The researcher addresses two programmes that she feels could improve the curriculum quality of learners with special needs in special needs schools. A few negative aspects, as well as the time frame for South Africa to completely implement inclusive education, according to the White Paper, contributed to this research. Comparisons are drawn between two international policies and acts and South African policies and programmes, in order to determine the effectiveness and standard of South African inclusive education. This research was conducted in a special needs school in a suburb of Laudium in the Gauteng Province South Africa. It was a qualitative study and adopted a case study design. The researcher collected data from the principal, HOD, occupational therapist, two teachers and an administrative staff member, who were the participants in the study, using a questionnaire as an instrument for data collection. Inclusive analysis was used to narrate and explain the data. The researcher found that the CAPS curriculum does not equip, prepare or develop learners who are intellectually disabled. The teachers and staff members feel that they need more training and development to support learners with special educational needs, together with a suitable curriculum to ensure effective teaching and learning. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

The democratic era in South Africa has led to the introduction of a wide-ranging series of teaching and learning policies aimed at school reform. The study aimed at establishing how these policies are implemented by educators in selected schools. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to gather information from educators, members of the School Management Teams and learners through in-depth individual and focus group interviews as the main data collection methods. Critical discourse analysis was used to examine participants‟ spoken words and the content of relevant documents such as lesson plans in detail. Comparisons were drawn and similarities identified through the coding, categorisation and condensation of data. The researcher interpreted the displayed data. A discussion of the main themes was presented and supported by quotations by participants. Findings indicate that there have been only few changes in terms of how educators teach; some educators conceded that they had not changed the way they teach since the introduction of new curriculum and assessment policies. The role played by learning outcomes in teachers‟ lesson planning was uneven. Members of School Management Teams demonstrated diverse views on teaching and learning policies. Learners who are taught in their home language encounter few difficulties in learning; this is not the case with learners who are taught through medium of a second language and thus lack the necessary language proficiency necessary for academic achievement. A shift from teacher-centred to learner-centred approaches to teaching is still required: that is, a shift from teaching to learning to enhance thinking and reflection which accommodates and draws on learners‟ prior knowledge and experiences. Class sizes should be reduced to enable effective educator and learner interaction. Educators‟ interest, tolerance, innovativeness and competency in the subject matter will help sustain learners‟ interest in the learning activities. Policy makers should explore professional development from viewpoint of the participating educators in order to identify the most effective strategies to support and change educators‟ classroom practice where necessary. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The aim of this study was to examine the alignment of teaching, learning and assessment in English home language in grade 10 in Johannesburg District 9. A literature study investigated the theoretical background to Outcomes-based education, the definition of outcomes, Outcomes-based assessment and the role of feedback in the alignment of teaching, learning and assessment. In addition this alignment in English home language was explored. For the qualitative investigation teachers from three schools participated in individual interviews and a content analysis. Major findings included: the teachers were intuitively aware of the importance of the alignment of teaching, learning and assessment, the implementation of the alignment was also intuitive and not explicitly planned. The teachers did not understand the assessment standards attached to each learning outcome. Continuous assessments were not used for learning. The study concludes with recommendations to improve the alignment of teaching, learning and assessment in English home language. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Specialisation in Curriculum Studies)

The study investigates the implementation of the Curriculum 2005 assessment policy guidelines in natural sciences in grade nine in five secondary schools selected by judgement sampling in Limpopo Province. Data were gathered by means of a literature study, examination of learner and educator portfolios and interviews with educators. Findings show that most participants were unable to carryout the continuous assessment (CASS) tasks as required. A discrepancy in the quality and quantity of assessment tasks among the schools emerged. All schools replaced the final common tasks for assessment (CTA) with internal examinations due to the late arrival of materials and the level of difficulty. Contributing factors were lack of a well-planned curriculum, proper resource materials, lack of coordination of efforts due to poor curriculum support and management and inadequate professional competence in the Outcomes-based methods of teaching, learning and assessment. Recommendations to address the above problems are made. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Education Management)

Text in Afrikaans / This qualitative study is aimed at analyzing teachers’ experiences of their role as assessors according to the assessment framework stated in the National Curriculum Statement 2002. A literature study was done. Subsequently, data was collected from interviews with eleven teachers from nine schools. All the respondents teach in the intermediate phase. The schools concerned are situated in the Tshwane Metropolitan area. Interviews were semi-structured. A holistic picture was focused on during the analyses of the interview texts. Data was organized according to four themes. The results of the analyses show that the teachers involved are dedicated to teaching. However, uncertainty as to the exact requirements of policy documents is prevalent. Help, support and training is asked for. / Teacher Education / M.Ed. (Spesialisering in Kurrikulumstudies)

The democratic era in South Africa has led to the introduction of a wide-ranging series of teaching and learning policies aimed at school reform. The study aimed at establishing how these policies are implemented by educators in selected schools. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to gather information from educators, members of the School Management Teams and learners through in-depth individual and focus group interviews as the main data collection methods. Critical discourse analysis was used to examine participants‟ spoken words and the content of relevant documents such as lesson plans in detail. Comparisons were drawn and similarities identified through the coding, categorisation and condensation of data. The researcher interpreted the displayed data. A discussion of the main themes was presented and supported by quotations by participants. Findings indicate that there have been only few changes in terms of how educators teach; some educators conceded that they had not changed the way they teach since the introduction of new curriculum and assessment policies. The role played by learning outcomes in teachers‟ lesson planning was uneven. Members of School Management Teams demonstrated diverse views on teaching and learning policies. Learners who are taught in their home language encounter few difficulties in learning; this is not the case with learners who are taught through medium of a second language and thus lack the necessary language proficiency necessary for academic achievement. A shift from teacher-centred to learner-centred approaches to teaching is still required: that is, a shift from teaching to learning to enhance thinking and reflection which accommodates and draws on learners‟ prior knowledge and experiences. Class sizes should be reduced to enable effective educator and learner interaction. Educators‟ interest, tolerance, innovativeness and competency in the subject matter will help sustain learners‟ interest in the learning activities. Policy makers should explore professional development from viewpoint of the participating educators in order to identify the most effective strategies to support and change educators‟ classroom practice where necessary. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Currently, South African special need schools that cater for intellectually disabled learners are implementing the continuous assessment policy statement (CAPS). This study explored the CAPS curriculum which is used in special needs schools, in order to determine whether or not it can develop disabled learners intellectually. In other words, can the curriculum be used to ensure that disabled learners are also prepared for future employment opportunities? Disabled learners also have a constitutional right to be lead through education to independent adulthood. This study looks at the characteristics of the intellectually disabled. It mentions some of the official South African documents in this regard and then discusses the theory of Paolo Freire. The researcher addresses two programmes that she feels could improve the curriculum quality of learners with special needs in special needs schools. A few negative aspects, as well as the time frame for South Africa to completely implement inclusive education, according to the White Paper, contributed to this research. Comparisons are drawn between two international policies and acts and South African policies and programmes, in order to determine the effectiveness and standard of South African inclusive education. This research was conducted in a special needs school in a suburb of Laudium in the Gauteng Province South Africa. It was a qualitative study and adopted a case study design. The researcher collected data from the principal, HOD, occupational therapist, two teachers and an administrative staff member, who were the participants in the study, using a questionnaire as an instrument for data collection. Inclusive analysis was used to narrate and explain the data. The researcher found that the CAPS curriculum does not equip, prepare or develop learners who are intellectually disabled. The teachers and staff members feel that they need more training and development to support learners with special educational needs, together with a suitable curriculum to ensure effective teaching and learning. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

MEd (Educational Management) / Department of Educational Management / The aim of the study was to investigate challenges confronting SMT members in the implementation of school-based moderation of Mathematics assessment tasks. An in-depth study of literature was undertaken, taking into consideration the following research question: What are the challenges confronting SMT members in the implementation of school-based moderation of Mathematics assessment tasks in the Thohoyandou cluster of the Limpopo Province? The study used the qualitative and quantitative approaches. Purposive sampling was used in the selection of participants for the qualitative data and simple random sampling was used in the selection of participants for the quatitative data. Qualitative data was collected through the interviews and quantitative data was collected through questionnaires. The interview schedule was employed to collect qualitative data and 12 participants (8 SMT members and 4 curriculum advisors for Mathematics in the Thohoyandou cluster) were interviewed. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data and were completed by 75 Mathematics teachers. Qualitative data was analysed thematically and quantitative data was analysed through SPSS version 23. The study revealed that: Lack of understanding and knowledge of the process of school-based moderation of mathematics is a serious worm that needs to be addressed soon. Moderation of school-based assessment was not monitored appropriately. The study recommended that the Department of Basic Education should conduct workshops and train SMT members on the importance of school-based moderation to ensure quality teaching and learning of Mathematics.