Au cours des dernières décennies, le Québec a connu une augmentation significative du nombre d’élèves ayant des défis particuliers dans les classes ordinaires du primaire. Cette diversification des profils d’apprentissage a complexifié l’enseignement, qui vise la réussite de tous les élèves indépendamment de leurs besoins spécifiques. Les pratiques pédagogiques et les ressources matérielles jouent un rôle crucial pour favoriser l’accès, la participation et la progression pour tous les élèves. Toutefois, les enseignants ne semblent pas suffisamment préparés, tant dans leur formation initiale que continue, pour mettre en place des pratiques dites accessibles dans la classe. Cette étude vise à mieux comprendre comment la formation courte s’appuyant sur le processus de planification universelle (PPU) peut soutenir les enseignants du primaire afin de planifier et mettre en œuvre la conception universelle de l’apprentissage (CUA) et les aides technologiques (AT) dans la classe. Plus spécifiquement, cette étude vise à concevoir un dispositif de formation à proposer aux enseignants, à documenter la réalisation des étapes du PPU par les enseignants et à décrire les apports et les limites du dispositif de formation quant au soutien apporté par ce dernier aux enseignants du primaire au Québec. À partir de la littérature recensée, un dispositif de formation a été élaboré et proposé à cinq enseignants du primaire. Les enseignants ont suivi une formation en ligne d’environ une heure de façon individuelle avant de participer à une rencontre de travail collectif. Les résultats de cette recherche, s’appuyant sur une méthodologie qualitative, montrent que le dispositif de formation courte offre un soutien prometteur aux enseignants. Celui-ci a contribué à changer les perceptions des enseignants en ce qui concerne les difficultés à apprendre orientant le regard vers l’identification des obstacles plutôt que des déficiences. De plus, le PPU a été utile pour soutenir la planification et la mise en œuvre de la CUA et des AT par les enseignants. Enfin, la collaboration, l’accompagnement et la conception des ressources de formation selon les principes de la CUA ont joué un rôle pour soutenir la compréhension et le développement d’habiletés au cours de cette formation. / Over the last few decades, Quebec has seen a significant increase in the number of students with special challenges in regular primary school classes. This diversification of learning profiles has complicated teaching, which aims at the success of all students regardless of their specific needs. Educational practices and material resources play a crucial role in promoting access, participation and progress for all students. However, teachers do not appear to be sufficiently prepared, both in their initial and continuing training, to implement so-called accessible practices in the classroom. This study aims to better understand how short training based on the Planning for all learners (PAL) can support primary school teachers in planning and implementing the Universal design of learning (UDL) and assistive technology (AT) in the classroom. More specifically, this study aims to design a training to be proposed to teachers, to document the achievement of the PAL stages by teachers and to describe the contributions and limits of the training system in terms of the support provided by the latter to primary school teachers in Quebec. Based on the literature collected, a training scheme was developed and proposed to five primary school teachers. Teachers took about an hour of online training individually before participating in a collective work meeting. The results of this research, based on a qualitative methodology, show that the short-term training system offers promising support to teachers. This has helped change teachers’ perceptions of learning difficulties by looking to identify obstacles rather than disabilities. Most of all, the PPU has been useful in supporting the planning and implementation of UDL and ATs by teachers. Finally, the collaboration, support and design of training resources in accordance with the UDL principles played a role in supporting understanding and skills development during this training.

Faced with the influx of emerging technologies, educators must continuously equip themselves with the necessary skills to effectively impact on today’s learners. Central to successful curriculum reform and student retention is the realisation that educators need to engage in continuous professional development, to meet the learners’ needs. The purpose of this research study is to explore and study how educators’ skills, knowledge and experience in e-learning can contribute to the successful achievement of the institution’s and students’ educational goals and to the design of a quality support system in an ODeL environment in a developing country. A mixed-method research approach was adopted. The target population was the University of South Africa (Unisa) academic staff members who enrolled for an elearning programme with the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) between the year 2012 and 2014. Convenience non-probability sampling was used and a total of 60 candidates were invited to participate in the study. Most of the participants pointed to the empathetic support they received from the relevant UMUC staff and also indicated that they are now ready to create an empathetic learning environment for their own students at Unisa. It is the premise of this paper that academics cannot impart and/or transfer what they do not have or know to learners and it gives recommendations on striving towards an effective empathetic students support in distance education and e-learning continuous professional development to effectively impact on today’s learners. The importance of pace, assignment due dates, use of rubrics, turnaround time for feedback, built-in support, and appropriate assessment strategies are also key findings in the report. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Open and Distance Learning (ODL)

The purpose of this study was to establish the perception of Grade One teachers regarding the school readiness of Reception Year learners in relation to the new national Curriculum Assessment and Policy Statement (CAPS). The study also provides recommendations on how to implement CAPS in Grade R so that teachers, learners and parents experience the easiest possible transition to Grade One. The research took the form of a case study, building on current trends related to the subject of Reception Year CAPS curriculum implementation, and using the Interpretive approach as its essential, functional paradigm, which focuses on experiences of the world based on the culture and previous experiences of each individual, with an emphasis on mutual understanding. By using this strategy to explore Grade One teacher perceptions regarding the school readiness of the Reception Year learners, this project was centred on an in-depth and detailed analysis of a person, group or situation as a sample of the whole, and involved a systematic collection of data and analysis. This led to a conclusions-based report on the findings, all the while focusing on five Grade One teachers and their Head of Department at a public primary school in Pretoria, Gauteng. Preliminary findings suggested that learners coming into Grade One could in fact be adequately prepared during Grade R for successful assimilation in the CAPS curriculum material, if all stakeholders overcome the challenges they face during this important phase of academic development. This study has shown that varying amounts and levels of training amongst the teachers is a hindrance to proper CAPS curriculum implementation and therefore, the Head of Department, the school and ultimately the Department of Education has to ensure parity in the area of teacher training in terms of CAPS curriculum implementation. The study has shown that, due to the different sites where learners did their Reception Year, the school and the Grade One teachers faced learners who came into their classrooms with differing levels of exposure to the formal schooling system. Some learners may have no CAPS curriculum exposure at all. This means that, if the Department of Education is to succeed in implementing the CAPS curriculum in Grade R, then it needs to assist schools more in the form of providing funds for primary schools to build and add space for the Grade R classrooms. Finally, the study showed that a language backlog remains one of the main challenges learners have to face. Historically, Early Childhood Development Centres were never required to use English as a medium of instruction. In fact, teaching in the preschool classroom, which includes Grade R, is still mostly done in one of many mother tongue languages, depending on the location of the centre. With the move to make Grade R part of formal schooling and moving the Reception Year class to a primary school, CAPS requires careful curriculum implementation from Grade R to Grade Three, although instruction in English is only required from Grade One. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Specialisation in Curriculum Studies)

The purpose of this study was to establish the perception of Grade One teachers regarding the school readiness of Reception Year learners in relation to the new national Curriculum Assessment and Policy Statement (CAPS). The study also provides recommendations on how to implement CAPS in Grade R so that teachers, learners and parents experience the easiest possible transition to Grade One. The research took the form of a case study, building on current trends related to the subject of Reception Year CAPS curriculum implementation, and using the Interpretive approach as its essential, functional paradigm, which focuses on experiences of the world based on the culture and previous experiences of each individual, with an emphasis on mutual understanding. By using this strategy to explore Grade One teacher perceptions regarding the school readiness of the Reception Year learners, this project was centred on an in-depth and detailed analysis of a person, group or situation as a sample of the whole, and involved a systematic collection of data and analysis. This led to a conclusions-based report on the findings, all the while focusing on five Grade One teachers and their Head of Department at a public primary school in Pretoria, Gauteng. Preliminary findings suggested that learners coming into Grade One could in fact be adequately prepared during Grade R for successful assimilation in the CAPS curriculum material, if all stakeholders overcome the challenges they face during this important phase of academic development. This study has shown that varying amounts and levels of training amongst the teachers is a hindrance to proper CAPS curriculum implementation and therefore, the Head of Department, the school and ultimately the Department of Education has to ensure parity in the area of teacher training in terms of CAPS curriculum implementation. The study has shown that, due to the different sites where learners did their Reception Year, the school and the Grade One teachers faced learners who came into their classrooms with differing levels of exposure to the formal schooling system. Some learners may have no CAPS curriculum exposure at all. This means that, if the Department of Education is to succeed in implementing the CAPS curriculum in Grade R, then it needs to assist schools more in the form of providing funds for primary schools to build and add space for the Grade R classrooms. Finally, the study showed that a language backlog remains one of the main challenges learners have to face. Historically, Early Childhood Development Centres were never required to use English as a medium of instruction. In fact, teaching in the preschool classroom, which includes Grade R, is still mostly done in one of many mother tongue languages, depending on the location of the centre. With the move to make Grade R part of formal schooling and moving the Reception Year class to a primary school, CAPS requires careful curriculum implementation from Grade R to Grade Three, although instruction in English is only required from Grade One. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Specialisation in Curriculum Studies)