<p>Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is the process of recognizing and crediting a person for his/her knowledge and experience however attained and promoting that person along a development pathway. In South Africa RPL has been promoted for social justice purposes related to access and redress. However these intentions have been lost within current educational discourses despite being rooted in several policies. Recently the role of vocational education has received increased prominence as a means to provide skills development. However there is often a disjuncture between policy formulation and implementation and this has given rise to this study of how RPL policy has been implemented within public Further Education and Training (FET) colleges. This paper investigates the RPL policies and practices in two public FET colleges and analyses how these employ social justice intentions of access and redress. The study reveals that there are similar conceptions of RPL amongst lecturers but varying RPL practices in these colleges.</p>

The aim of this study is to describe the recontextualisation of the official pedagogical field, in the form of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), in the Further Education and Training (FET) band. The study's focus concentrates specifically on the in-service training programme devised by the KZN FET Directorate for teachers of Grade 10's in 2005, beginning with the creation of the FET curriculum statements at national level and tracking the dissemination of this information to provincial level, then through regional and district level and into the schools. The researcher was able to analyse the documents created at national level, observe and/or interview role-players at each level of the continuum: national, provincial, regional, district and school (including parents of school-going teenagers). This evidence, supplemented with video-recordings and posters produced at five different venues was selectively described using Berasteinian terminology and his theoretical framework of the pedagogic device. Research findings in answer to the questions posed, viz. to what extent the social transformation process was understood by the role-players in the process (concentrating on English Home and First Additional Language teachers), indicate that in some cases the official pedagogical field is carried over with minimal change, and in others it is evident that careful monitoring and retraining may be the only means to concretise the intended change in thinking in the minds of South Africa's teachers. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

A climate that stimulates creativity and encourages optimal performance is essential for enhancing the knowledge capacity of organisations. This encompasses the roles played by diverse aspects such as organisational support, freedom, work pressure, idea time/support, workplace challenges and trust/openness. This study is located in the field of Adult Education in general with a specific focus on Workplace Learning. A qualitative study was conducted to describe the perceptions of managers and non-managers in five campuses of Thekwini FET College as either potential enablers or disablers of a creative climate. The research explicates what and how these professionals learn in creative climates. This study examines four research questions: In what ways do employees perceive the climate for creativity in the workplace?; How is the climate for creativity nurtured or stifled in the workplace?; What is meant by a 'creative climate'?; What are the critical success factors for inducing and facilitating a creative climate at Thekwini FET College? Thirteen participants, who had working knowledge experience and were able to provide a rich description of their work climate, were selected. A comprehensive collection and analysis of data was yielded through: (a) semi-structured individual interviews; (b) looking at words, sentences and paragraphs of documents; and (c) informal observations. Data was analysed and interpreted by identifying the themes promulgated by Ekvall's Creative Climate Questionnaire and Amabile's KEYS survey. The findings led to the emergence of two new themes of coping mechanism and informal learning. The discussions inform and support the research from the perspective of employee experience and the theoretical model. The following recommendations were made in terms of: (a) Organisational Culture - devalue bureaucracy with greater interpersonal functioning of trust, freedom and support; (b) People - value and make people central in the workplace; and (c) Value Socialisation - organisational support for informal learning, playful about ideas, tolerant of spirited debates and challenges. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

The enrolment of music in especially the secondary school is declining in many countries such as South Africa, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Brazil, China, Finland, Israel, Korea, Mexico and the United States of America. This decline in the number of learners doing the subject in secondary school, despite its popularity outside of the school, is often ascribed to the socio-economic context and the level of difficulty of the subject, but most of all due to a music curriculum that is in stark contrast to what learners are doing in their daily lives. Post-Apartheid education focused on the redress of education by working towards the provision of quality education through the improvement of educational resources, wider subject choices for previously disadvantaged learners and transforming the national curriculum to suit the needs of young people to prepare them adequately and appropriately for tertiary education and the world of work. The demands of poor communities for greater access to subjects that were previously denied to them, compelled the national education department to introduce subjects such as the arts and technology in secondary schools located in low socio-economic areas where these subjects have not been offered before. The Western Cape Education Department, as lead agent for the province’s Human Capital Development Strategy (HCDS), established ten dedicated focus schools for the arts that would become centres of excellence to provide quality arts education to secondary school learners from poor urban and rural areas. It was envisaged that these arts institutions would be equipped with the appropriate infrastructure, technology, teaching and learning support materials and qualified arts teachers to ensure that music, dance, drama, design and visual arts would be accessible to a broader spectrum of secondary school learners. The aim of the study focused on the provision of music education at these institutions by investigating the essential aspects of the focus school phenomenon such as infrastructure that was built to create a conducive environment for music education, curricular and extra-curricular music programmes, learner enrolment and retention, use of technology, teaching and learning support materials and teacher effectiveness. The study has a qualitative research approach and is based on a case study design that served to provide a rich and in-depth description of the phenomenon. The data was collected by means of focus group and individual interviews as well as observations of lessons, extra-mural activities and music performances. An interrogation of government policies and school records also informed the research to provide trustworthy findings. After each finding, some suggestions are made concerning the alleviation of challenges which focus schools face regarding the delivery of Music in the FET phase. Finally, the study makes recommendations for future research related to the provision of Music in the FET phase of South African schools. / Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Music / MMus / Unrestricted

Magister Educationis - MEd / Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is the process of recognizing and crediting a person for his/her knowledge and experience however attained and promoting that person along a development pathway. In South Africa RPL has been promoted for social justice purposes related to access and redress. However these intentions have been lost within current educational discourses despite being rooted in several policies. Recently the role of vocational education has received increased prominence as a means to provide skills development. However there is often a disjuncture between policy formulation and implementation and this has given rise to this study of how RPL policy has been implemented within public Further Education and Training (FET) colleges. This paper investigates the RPL policies and practices in two public FET colleges and analyses how these employ social justice intentions of access and redress. The study reveals that there are similar conceptions of RPL amongst lecturers but varying RPL practices in these colleges. / South Africa

Thesis (MEdPsych)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South African youth are confronted by a range of challenges on a daily basis which can potentially evolve into serious barriers to learning and development. Life Orientation is a critical subject offered by the Further Education and Training (FET) band as it aims to prevent the development of such problems. Furthermore, the role played by the teacher in successfully and meaningfully presenting Life Orientation is a pivotal one. This study therefore aimed at understanding the support needs of Life Orientation teachers in the FET band in order to gain insight into the challenges experienced and what recommendations can be made to improve support to teachers, and consequently, learners. The theoretical framework on which this study was based was positive psychology as its emphasis on the fostering of positive individual traits, emotions and institutions is an appropriate and constructive way of understanding teachers’ support needs within their school communities. This study’s research methodology can be described as basic qualitative research which is embedded within an interpretive paradigm. Purposive sampling was used to select three schools and their Life Orientation departments as research participants. Three methods of data collection were employed, namely written reflective notes and semistructured focus group- and individual interviews. Furthermore, qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. The research findings indicated that Life Orientation teachers in the FET band experience a range of support needs across the various levels within the school community. Teachers experience a tension between the expectations of the Department of Education, the needs of the learners, and their own expectations with regards to the facilitation of a community of care within the Life Orientation classroom. Support therefore needs to be aimed at increasing teachers’ competencies and providing opportunities to collaborate with other teachers to develop positive individual traits and foster positive emotions. Furthermore, school communities need to become aware of their attitudes and perceptions towards the subject so as to initiate processes which can lead to the promotion and development of positive, supportive institutions. A critical step in doing so is to consider policies regarding the appointment of Life Orientation teachers and ensure that qualified, specialist teachers who believe in the value of the subject are employed in these posts. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse jeug word daagliks gekonfronteer met ‘n wye spektrum uitdagings wat potensiëel tot ernstige hindernisse vir leer en ontwikkeling kan ontwikkel. Lewensoriëntering is ’n noodsaaklike vak in die Verdere Onderwys en Opleidingsband (VOO) juis omdat dit poog om die ontwikkeling van hierdie hindernisse te verhoed. Die rol van die opvoeder in die suksesvolle en betekenisvolle aanbieding van Lewensoriëntering is deuslaggewend. Daarom poog hierdie studie om die ondersteuningsbehoeftes van Lewensoriënteringopvoeders te verstaan ten einde insig te verkry in die uitdagings wat hulle ondervind. Sodoende kan aanbevelings gemaak word vir die ondersteuning van opvoeders wat dan sal deurvloei na die leerders. Die teoretiese raamwerk van hierdie studie is positiewe sielkunde, aangesien dit die ontwikkeling van positiewe individuele kenmerke, emosies en organisasies beklemtoon. Dit is dus ’n toepaslike en konstruktiewe manier om die ondersteuningsbehoeftes van opvoeders binne hulle skoolgemeenskappe te verstaan. Die navorsingsmetodologie wat in hierdie studie gebruik is, kan beskryf word as basiese kwalitatiewe navorsing binne ’n interpretivistiese paradigma. ’n Doelgerigte steekproef is gebruik om drie skole en hul Lewensoriënteringdepartemente as deelnemers te identifiseer. Drie metodes van data-insameling is gebruik, naamlik geskrewe reflektiewe notas, semigestruktureerde fokusgroeponderhoude en individuele onderhoude. Verder is kwalitatiewe inhoudsanalise gebruik om die data te analiseer. Die navorsingsbevindinge het aangedui dat Lewensoriënteringopvoeders in die VOO band ’n wye verskeidenheid ondersteuningsbehoeftes binne die verskillende vlakke van die skoolgemeenskap ervaar. Opvoeders ervaar spanning tussen die verwagtinge van die Departement van Onderwys, die behoeftes van leerders en hul eie verwagtinge met betrekking tot die fassilitering van ’n omgeegemeenskap in die Lewensoriënteringklaskamer. Ondersteuning behoort dus te poog om die bevoegdhede van die opvoeder te verbeter en geleenthede daar te stel vir die ontwikkeling van positiewe individuele kenmerke en die vestiging van positiewe emosies. Verder behoort skoolgemeenskappe meer bewus te raak van hul persepsies en houdings teenoor die vak ten einde prosesse in plek te kan stel vir die bevordering en ontwikkeling van positiewe organisasies. ’n Kritiese stap in die bereiking hiervan, is die oorweging van beleide met betrekking tot die aanstelling van Lewensoriënteringopvoeders en die versekering dat gekwalifiseerde, gespesialiseerde opvoeders wat in die waarde van die vak glo, in hierdie poste aangestel word.

Value and character education possess the inherent building blocks for the preservation of a healthy society. It is the art of life that keeps the environment friendly, free and safe allowing earth's inhabitants to play, to live and to work in peace. Value and character education possess values that remove evil from society and institutions such as schools, colleges, universities, etc. One of the primary aims of value and character education is to allow learners to experience life at its' fullest. The main purpose of this study is the development of an effective character building program for a specific further education and training college. It is obvious from the available literature that society is experiencing a crisis regarding values, character and morality. The decline of human and societal values portrayed in the media has compelled the current government to initiate a value educational program in schools. The values of the government however, are focused on nation building, democracy and human rights with the purpose of overcoming the inequalities and injustices of the apartheid system. However, the inhabitants of South Africa seek more than aspects based on democracy, nation building and human rights. They seek values that promote moral behaviour, values of work ethics and values that are aimed at developing their full potential. Value and character education could probably ensure the provision of a successful life and future for today's youth. The researcher has therefore investigated and analysed the precise meanings of the following terms: values, norms, principles, standards, ethics, character education, values education. Various character educational programs that succeeded in oversees countries were also studied. Focus was also given to educational guidelines including principles, outcomes and promising practices that the lecturer could use in the classroom to stimulate the students and to promote character education. To determine what the present value orientation of the students are, a questionnaire was compiled for further education and training colleges in the North-West Province. To ascertain the opinions and contributions of values education and character education, semi-structured interviews were held with the student council, the head of the support services and an official of the student support services. The overall aim of the study is: To create a character-building program for further education and training colleges after establishing the value orientation of the students. This empirical research has pointed out specific problem areas and has shown that it is not only essential but also urgent to implement a value and character educational program for further education and training colleges. Guidelines for such a program have been set on the basis of this study. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

This thesis examines the extent to which the private Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Sector in South Africa is responsive to national development. National development is understood as associated with a range of socio-economic imperatives which include challenges of poverty, unemployment, inequality, the ravages of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and its associated impacts. In addition to these, the educational component of national development is to ensure access, redress and equity, which are necessary to undo the impacts of an apartheid-related skills regime. Skills development is considered a crucial means to respond to these challenges. Without skills for formal and informal labour markets, as well as productive self-employment, South Africa’s capacity to respond to the new globalised era is likely to be considerably stunted and will negatively affect its developmental trajectory. The methodology used in this study included a mix of quantitative and qualitative strategies to obtain the size, shape and nature of provision. The quantitative component, undertaken in the course of 2002, was supplemented by randomly chosen qualitative case studies. Together, they provided the basis for unravelling a sector distinct in nature, form and content. Developing a comprehensive typology provides important insight into responsiveness of a sector characterised by wide-ranging provision forms. The typology of provider type based on profitability and form, i.e. ‘for-profit’, ‘non-profit’ and ‘in-house’ providers, was replaced with a multi-dimensional model. Learner type, as a primary typological category, includes the ‘pre-employed’, ‘unemployed’, the employed ‘self-funded employee’ and the ‘corporate client’. Provider types responding to these learner types are distinguished on the basis of location, delivery patterns and programming. The various provider forms include ‘multi-providers’, ‘specialist providers’, ‘consultants’, ‘in-house’ and ‘non-profit’ providers. Provider purposes include those responding to employment, either formal labour market or self-employment, and self-development, including leisure-related skilling and lifelong learning. Learner types and training purpose determine the manner, form and characteristics of provision. This understanding of a widely divergent and heterogeneous sector provides the context for assessing its contribution to national development in South Africa. The notions of responsiveness and receptiveness are used as conceptual devices to assess the role of the sector. Responsiveness describes specific labour market purpose, while receptiveness refers to the social development and educational imperatives of access, redress and equity. The sheer size of the sector suggests an important demand-led element of provision and represents an important measure of receptiveness to national development prerogatives. The conservative estimate of 706 884 learners, located at 4178 sites for 864 providers that pre-registered with the Department of Education in 2001, provide the basis for serious consideration of the sector. The sector adequately responds to the immediate short-term needs of employers. Programmes offered for corporate providers respond more deliberately to their immediate short-term skill requirements and which has made it possible for them to outsource a considerable proportion of their training. In addition, there is no other education and training form flexible enough to provide for the training needs of employees, and sometimes the customers of corporate concerns, as in product upgrading and support, at times and locations suitable to their requirements. Private providers did not necessarily have more linkages with the formal labour market than do public providers and are not necessarily able to secure more effectively employment opportunities for their pre- and unemployed learners With respect to receptiveness, the sector comprises learner patterns consistent with national demographics. The sector is associated with an older, employed learner type, typically enrolled in shorter-term courses. This demonstrates the sector’s accessibility. In comparison with their public counterparts, costs were not prohibitive and programme structure allowed adequate flexibility to enable learners to weave in and out of the system. Variable admission requirements also allowed learners to slot into appropriate levels. The absence of data makes comparative judgements of throughput, and quality, with public institutions difficult to make. The current need to regulate all providers equally may not be the most efficient way of dealing with the sector. In light of the national development prerogative to protect those most vulnerable from the risk of market failure, there is need to grant support to those providers most responsive to this group - in this instance, those ‘full time’ providers responding to the pre- and unemployed learner set. The market adequately regulates providers responding to the employed and corporate client groups.

Cette thèse propose une analyse de l'investissement éducatif au niveau individuel. Elle développe une perspective dynamique qui cherche à analyser les liens entre éducation et trajectoires sur le long terme. Pour ce faire, nous utilisons un modèle de microsimulation dynamique. La première partie de la thèse porte sur l'éducation initiale. Elle cherche à évaluer l'impact de la diversité des trajectoires sur l'hétérogénéité des gains monétaires associés à différents niveaux de diplôme. Nous y montrons tout d'abord que certains diplômés, en raison des trajectoires défavorables qu'ils connaissent sur le marché du travail, ont une probabilité non négligeable de ne pas valoriser financièrement leurs études. L'analyse des gains liés à l'éducation initiale est ensuite élargie aux comportements conjugaux des individus. En particulier, nous montrons que la prise en compte des revenus salariaux des conjoints réduit les inégalités entre les diplômés, et ce, malgré l'existence de phénomènes d'homogamie éducative. La seconde partie de la thèse est consacrée à la « formation continue » (FC) ou « postscolaire ». En tenant compte des facteurs familiaux et professionnels qui peuvent jouer sur l'accès à la FC, cette partie a pour objectif de mesurer le niveau des dépenses dont bénéficient les individus pour se former une fois leurs études initiales terminées. Les résultats mettent en lumière une forte hétérogénéité de ces dépenses et le rôle divergent des différents dispositifs de formation. Ils montrent également que les montants investis dans la formation postscolaire des individus demeurent faibles au regard de ceux engagés pour la formation initiale. / This thesis provides an analysis of investment in education from an individual point of view. Using a microsimulation model, we develop a dynamic perspective that aims to take into account the long-term relationships between education and individual trajectories. The first part of the thesis focuses on initial education. Its objective is to assess the impact of the diversity of trajectories on the heterogeneity of education benefits. We first show that some graduates, because of their vulnerable position on the labour market, are exposed to negative return to initial education. Our analysis of initial education benefits is then extended to marital behaviour. We more particularly show that taking into account spouse's labour market income reduces inequality between individuals despite the existence of educational homogamy. The second part of the thesis deals with further education and training (FET). Considering family and professional factors that may affect access to FET, we measure the level of expenditure received by individuals to train throughout their career. The results point out the heterogeneity of these spending and indicate that investments in FET are low compared to those invested in initial education.

Thesis (MEd. (Community and Continuing Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / The research was carried out in Capricorn College for FET. The main aim of this study was to identify the educational needs of Capricorn College for FET. This study attempted to answer the following research question:  What are the educational needs of Capricorn College for FET? This study was designed within a qualitative research paradigm using multiple-case studies. A document analysis, semi-structured interviews, observations were used to identify the educational needs of Capricorn College for FET. Semi-structured interviews allowed me to ask questions to participants while allowing the flexibility to probe further details. Semi-structured interviews helped me to have a broader view and clear understanding of educational needs that might exist in all campuses of Capricorn College for FET. Through observation educational needs of learners, educators and campus managers were noted. Findings of this study show that there are educational needs at the Capricorn College for FET such as; the lack of funding, lack of staffing, poor learner recruitment, poor infrastructural resources and poor quality of teaching and learning. Recommendations were made for educators in the three campuses to be trained so that they can acquire knowledge about teaching methodologies. More funding should be provided to the college to enhance the smooth running of the college. The college should be equipped with resources that are required for teaching and learning. More learners should be able to study and equipped with relevant skills for job market. Capricorn College for FET should use recruitment strategies that may benefit almost learners in the country. The Department of Higher Education and Training should make sure that Capricorn College for FET be provided with necessary and enough infrastructural resources. Teaching and learning materials should be supplied to this institution and on time. In that way it will enhance the effective teaching and learning at the college.