D.Ed. / Hierdie navorsing fokus op onderwysers se persepsies aangaande deurlopende professionele onderwyser ontwikkelingsprogramme in Omgewingsopvoeding en die mate waartoe dit hul onderwyspraktyk beïnvloed. Die navorsingsprobleem word omskryf deur die volgende sub-vrae: • Wat is die onderwysers se persepsies aangaande hul eie bekwaamhede in Omgewingsopvoedingspraktyke as resultaat van die indiensopleidingsinsette? • Welke onderwysstrategië en -metodes het die onderwysers tydens indiensopleiding aangeleer en op watter wyse(s) hul dit in die klaskamersituasie aanwend om hul praktyk te verbeter. • Watter kennis, vaardighede en waardes op die terrein van Omgewingsopvoeding het die onderwysers tydens die indiensopleidingsinsette aangeleer? • Watter riglyne kan uit die navorsing gepostuleer word ter optimalisering van indienslopleidingsinsette in die algemeen, en in besonder in die geval van insiensopleidingsprogramme vir Omgewingsopvoeding? Die navorsingsontwerp vir die empiriese komponent van hierdie navorsing het ‘n kombinasie van kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes behels en deur middel van triangulering van die ingesamelde data toegepas. In die kwantitatiewe dimensie van die navorsing is ’n omvattende gestruktureerde vraelys ontwikkel en deur die steekproef van respondente, wat willekeurig uit die populasie getrek is, voltooi. Die data hierdeur verkry is aan beide die Kaiser-Meyer-Olken en die Bartlett toetse onderwerp. Die 33 (uit die oorspronklike 35) oorblywende items is aan twee opeenvolgende faktor-analise prosedure onderwerp op basis van die “Principle Axis Factoring” metode. Die kwalitatiewe dimensie van die navorsing het gesteun op fokusgroep onderhoude waaraan drie groepe van vyf respondente elk (‘n total van 15 respondente) deelgeneem het. Respondente vir hierdie drie groepe is willekeurige getrek om die volgende drie geografiese gebiede te verteenwoordig: Oos-Rand, Johannesburg-Suid en Johannesburg-Sentraal. ‘n Onderhoudskedule bestaande uit vier oop-end vrae is vir hierdie doel ontwikkel. Die data is op die wetenskaplik aanvaarde prosedure van bandopnames, transkripsies en verifiëring deur die respondente ingesamel, waarna dit gekodeer, grafies voorgestel en geanaliseer is. Die belangrikste bevindings van hierdie navorsing sluit in dat: • Die aantal vorige indiensopleidingsprogramme deurloop; die jare onderwyservaring bydra tot onderwysers se positiewe belewing van indiensopleidingsinsette vir Omgewingsopvoeding. • Indiensopleidingsprogramme wat voorsiening maak vir die volgende aspekte baie sterk positief beleef word:  groepwerk tussen deelnemers tydens die indiensopleidingsprogram;  geleentheid om die programinhoud in hul klaskamers te gaan toepas en daarna gesamentlik daarop te reflekteer; asook  geleenthede waar fasiliteerders van die indiensopleidingsprogramme die deelnemers in hul klaskamersituasie gaan waarneem en ondersteun in toepassing van die programinhoude. / Prof. H.G. Van Rooyen

Hoofstuk een voorsien die agtergrond tot die navorsing asook ‘n beskrywing van die probleme. Dit bevat die doel van die navorsing, die metodologie wat gevolg is en gee ‘n uitklaring van konsepte wat in die navorsing gebruik is. Hoofstuk twee fokus op ‘n uiteensetting van die onderwerp van die navorsing, naamlik DIE ASSESSERING VAN PROFESSIONELE ONTWIKKELING VAN ONDERWYSERS EN DIE IMPLIKASIES VIR GEHEELSKOOL EVALUERING. Die doel van die navorsingsprojek was om te bepaal watter kriteria noodsaaklik is vir die doeltreffende professionele ontwikkeling van onderwysers. Om hierdie doel te verwesenlik is ‘n literatuurstudie onderneem wat as basis vir die empiriese navorsing gedien het. Die bespreking in hoofstuk twee is gerig op die geïntegreerde gehalte bestuurstelsel wat bestaan uit werkverrigting assessering, die ontwikkeling van ‘n stelsel vir assessering en geheel skool evaluering. Die studie belig hoe bogenoemde assesseringstelsels gebruik is om die professionele ontwikkeling van die onderwyser te fasiliteer. In die geïntegreerde gehaltebestuurselsel is klaskamer-waarneming ‘n kritiese aspek wat gebruik is om die behoeftes van onderwysers te bepaal oor hoe hulle ‘n klaskamer moet bestuur. Klaskamerwaarneming is gegrond op die volgende kriteria: die skepping van ‘n positiewe leeromgewing, kennis van die kurrikulum, lesbeplanning, voorbereidng en aanbieding, asook leerlingassessering. Sodra die behoeftes van die onderwyser vasgestel is, is gepaste professionele ontwikkelingsprogramme noodsaaklik om klaskamer bestuursvaardighede te verbeter. Met ander woorde, wanneer onderwysers professioneel ontwikkel word, verbeter hulle die gehalte van leer en onderrig by skole deur hul betrokkenheid in en by lewenslange leer. Die ontwerp van die navorsingsprojek is in hoofstuk drie uiteengesit. ‘n Beskrywing van die empiriese ondersoek is voorsien. Die vraelys is bespreek en die verloop van die navorsing kortliks aangeraak. Al die vrae met betrekking tot doeltreffende professionele ontwikkeling het gelei tot gemiddelde tellings tussen 2,20 en 3,23. Die ontleding en interpretasie van die empiriese data is in hoofstuk vier bespreek. Die konstrukgeldigheid van die navorsingsintrument is deur middel van twee opeenvolgende faktoranalitiese prosedures ondersoek en sodoende is die 37 items tot twee faktore gereduseer, naamlik: effektiewe ontwikkelingsprogramme bestaande uit 20 items met ‘n betroubaarheidskoëffisient van 0,913; en personeel ontwikkelingsprogramme bestaande uit 17 items met ‘n betroubaarheidskoëfissient van 0,892. Die statistiese ontleding van die navorsing is beperk tot ‘n vergelyking van een voorbeeld van twee onafhanklike groepe met een voorbeeld van drie of meer onafhanklike groepe. Hipoteses is opgestel en multivariante statistieke gebruik om die data te ontleed en te interpreteer. Na hierdie oorsigtelike opsomming van die aspekte wat in die huidige navorsing aangeraak is, word belangrike bevindings wat uit die navorsing voortspruit, gemaak. / Prof. R. Mestry

No description available.

On the African continent South Africa is unequivocally the economic and military giant. As the continental hegemon, the state has sought the reform of the unequal global economy in order to enhance the participation in the global political economy of all African countries. The South African government projects the discourse of African solidarity in driving global reforms, emphasising that such reforms will be of benefit to both the continent as a whole, and to the South African state. Within this context, it is the purpose of this dissertation to determine with greater clarity who stands to gain from South Africa’s efforts. In other words, is South Africa acting to acquire economic growth and development for Africa as a whole, or is the country primarily acting to secure its own wealth and power? In short, this study investigates whether South Africa – as the continental hegemon – is acting in a benevolent or selfish manner in its undertakings. The assessment of South Africa’s hegemony is presented in a theoretical schema constructed with a focus on the three main theories of international relations, namely liberalism, realism and structuralism. Each of these theories is employed descriptively as well as prescriptively as tools to evaluate the nature of the African political economy, and South African action versus rhetoric. Applying these conceptual lenses, South Africa’s position on three aspects of the African political economy are assessed and evaluated. These three areas of the political economy – trade, debt and foreign direct investment – serve as case studies revealing South Africa’s benevolence and/or selfishness. In brief, South Africa is pressing for the reform of the international financial architecture; rhetorically, the state seeks free trade and enhanced export opportunities for all African states; the country is urging foreign creditors to reduce Africa’s external debt; South African leaders have recommended that their counterparts establish an investor-friendly climate in Africa as a means to enhance foreign investments on the continent. South Africa’s actions have the potential to benefit the African continent as a whole, and simultaneously advance the state’s interests. The findings of this study point out that (a) each of the three theories can be utilised to describe South Africa’s rhetoric and actions, and (b) the essence of South Africa’s hegemony is neither entirely benevolent, nor exclusively selfish. / Mr. P.P Fourie

There exists a consensus about the importance, but little else, of the ongoing professional education of teachers. The professional development of teachers is often seen by teachers to be a purely private matter serving self-improvement and/or career advancement. Equally often it is assumed to be essentially collegial concerned with improved school responses to redefined social expectations. Little is known about how, at the intersection of personal interactions and social necessities, truth is constructed by teachers about the significance of professional development exercises. This ontological research investigated the influence of the community of practice in signifying professional development of teachers' professional identity formation. It is a proximal influence that has been largely neglected in the literature on professional development. The case studies conducted here of science teachers in a rural secondary school initially assumed that certain types of autonomy and collegiality, together with differing workplace conditions have a more positive influence on teachers' professional development than others. The use of teacher portfolios in professional development reporting was investigated as institutional scaffolding for facilitating the sharing of insights from often remote professional development experiences, and as a means of improving communication within the science department.Positioning theory, as a tool in discursive psychology, was used to analyse professional development experiences as narrated by four colleagues in conversations with the author.

M.Ed. / Changes specifically taking place in specialised education due to the inclusive education policy have resulted in stress and higher anxiety levels in educators. The purpose of this research is to investigate the perceptions of educators teaching at one specialised school, specifically the perceptions of their responsibilities, of the expectations they have as well as the training and support they receive in this educational environment. The literature study describes the changes brought about by the implementation of the inclusive education policy and the effect it has on the educators. A questionnaire was designed to ascertain what the educators perceive. The instrument was tested for reliability and validity. The recommendations were as follows: All educators should become knowledgeable regarding the content of the inclusive education policy in education. The education department is responsible for a training and implementation programme that will empower educators to successfully implement the tasks and responsibilities as required by the policy of inclusive education. If this training and support is not provided, it cannot be expected of educators to be able to successfully handle the implementation of the inclusive education policy or to be positively orientated towards the implementation of this policy. The education department and district offices should play a bigger role in providing the training and necessary support in order for the implementation of inclusion to be successful. The training of all educators and training centres will have to include the accommodation/management of diverse needs of learners in order to meet the requirement of this policy. As all educators will be exposed to more diverse learning needs, the training provided at the training centres will have to emphasise the accommodation/management of diverse learning according to the inclusive education policy. The educators that have specialised training at ‘specialised schools’ can be utilised as consultants to provide support to educators at other schools by working together co-operatively with these educators. The district offices ought to provide a co-ordinator to assist this support group. The perceptions of educators at the specific specialised school with regards to inclusive education are influenced by their own experiences and interpretations of inclusive values and practice. The manner in which educators experience inclusive education will have an influence on the quality of their performance of tasks and their responsibilities towards inclusive education. Therefore, how educators are introduced to and supported in inclusive practices may play a significant part in terms of establishing environments for inclusive education. The role of the education department and district offices are clearly emphasised in this investigation. Knowledge regarding the policy of inclusion, as well as support and training are essential elements to the successful implementation of this policy.

Learners affected and infected by HIV/AIDS have been given priority status in the development of inclusive education. The Department of Education should develop and support the personal and professional self of educators as torch bearers of its educational policy. This inquiry attempted to understand educators’ teaching experiences to establish what educational and psychological support was needed to better include such learners. The information obtained may enable District Based Support Team’s (DBST’s) and School Based Support Team’s (SBST’s), as well as educational psychologists to develop educators, as limited research has been done in this regard. In this inquiry the data collection methods included 16 questionnaires completed by educators, an individual interview with a principal as well as two focus group interviews (with educators, and then with SBST and School Management Teams (SMT’s) members combined). Collages were visual representations of educators’ experiences and aided group discussions. Data obtained was analysed using the constant comparative method to determine the common themes and sub themes describing educators’ experiences over and above the identified educational and psychological support they needed to better include child-headed family learners within their classrooms. The findings presented suggest orphan status awareness at schools cannot be taken for granted. In coping with the effects of orphan-hood, learners presented with characteristic barriers such as: learning difficulties, incomplete school work and homework, failure to participate, school absenteeism, hunger, concentration difficulties, tiredness and sleeping in class, neglected appearance, behavioural difficulties, signs of sexual abuse, and accelerated adulthood. Efforts to create supportive learning environments included: impartial treatment, learning support provision, accessing support services and meeting basic needs for food, clothing, love, belongingness, reassurance, motivation and encouragement. Educators iii related accompanying negative psychological experiences (i.e. feeling sadness, distress and pain, as well as being emotionally drained and experiencing a sense of frustration at not knowing how to help or feeling unable to help). Identified educational and psychological support included: capacity building through contextualized and customized in-service training programmes, financial incentives and motivation, improved resources, increased governmental involvement, accessing multidisciplinary support services, community support and self care. Educators need to be supported and developed within a framework of whole school development if the goals of building health promoting schools within an inclusive education system are to be realised. Recommendations included: (i) Compelling stakeholders and health professionals to inform school and district based support teams of a learner’s orphan status. (ii) Building pre-service and in-service capacities through modules or customized workshops, on the identification, support and referral of learners from child-headed homes, basic counselling skills as well as self care awareness and educator burn out. (iii) Schools must develop financial incentives and motivation schemes by fund raising, obtaining sponsorships and ‘granting leave’ to deserving educators. Resource sharing was also encouraged. (iv) Government should conduct needs analyses at grass roots level to ensure equitable support service provision relative to the number of learners from child-headed homes at a school. (v) Educational psychologists or school counselors on behalf of school based support teams can co-ordinate Community Building Approach principles as one way of sharing the burden of care amongst interested stakeholders and community members. / Prof. Jace Pillay

M.Ed. / Die navorsingsdoel van die studie is om vas te stel hoe Intell® Teach to the Future die betrokkenheid van opvoeders met Informasie en Kommunikasie Tegnologië (IKT) beïnvloed. Opvoeders in Ga-Rankuwa het deelgeneem in die navorsing. ʼn Aantal privaatondernemings, soos Intel, het programme ontwerp ten doel om opvoeders met die integrering van IKT te ondersteun, maar onvoldoende gedokumenteerde bewyse van die invloed van privaat initiatiewe op die betrokkenheid van opvoeders met IKT bestaan. Skole in Ga-Rankuwa gebruik die IKT integreringsopleidingsprogramme van verskeie organisasies, dus is dit belangrik om die invloed van hierdie programme op die betrokkenheid van opvoeders met rekenaars te evalueer. Onderswyersopleiding in IKT integrering word beskou as die belangrikste en kritiese suksesfaktor om die tekort aan gekwalifiseerde opvoeders in IKT aan te spreek (Dawes, 1999:256). Volgens Orange en Hobbs (2000:86) om skole en opvoeders te betrek by IKT integrering, die beskikbaarheid van harde-en sagteware word as noodsaaklik beskou alhoewel die blote teenwoordiigheid van rekenaars in skole is onvoldoende om die kwaliteit van die onderwys te verander. Verdere pogings om opvoeders te betrek met IKT integrering in onderwys en leer so wel as ondersteuning is benodig. Verkeie lande gebruik verskillende strategiee van onderswyersopleiding in hierdie verband. Die navorsingmetodes is ‘n kombinasie van etnografie en ‘n gevallestudie. Waarneming, fokusgroeponderhoude en analise van dokumente is gebruik om data te versamel. Data analise het gelei tot vyf kategorieë. Die bevindinge toon aan dat Intel®, tot ‘n grote mate, die betrokkenheid van opvoeders wel beїnvloed het.

M.Ed.

This study aimed to explore the development and experiences of teachers in the implementation of OBE in Mutale Educational District of Limpopo province. In order to achieve this goal, a thorough literature review was conducted and selected Teachers from schools located in the district, Education Specialists and Curriculum Advisors were also interviewed. Informed by the findings and literature, this study argues that school-based model of teacher development, where teachers are partners in their development, is the most suitable in the current curriculum transformation agenda in South Africa. It further alludes to the fact that teacher development would lead to effective curriculum implementation and by extension lead to effective learning in the schools. / Dr. M.C. Loggerenberg