Thesis (M.A.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2008. / Title from PDF of title page (viewed July 10, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 76-81).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Miami University, Dept. of Psychology, 2008. / Title from second page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 179-193).

Poor Physical Science performance in South African schools is due to ineffective Physical Science teaching. Quality Physical Science teaching stems from quality Physical Science subject advisory services. Traditionally interventions to raise teaching standards were done by inspectors who established if schools functioned according to set rules rather that supporting teaching staff. School inspection was considered a fault finding mission with punitive objectives; hence principals and teachers were negatively disposed to it. The Department of Basic Education since has re-interpreted intervention from checking compliance to support and development of school personnel. This task is allocated to units in district offices in provincial Departments of Education and district staff members’ responsibilities are linked to responsibilities of principals and teachers. The subject advisory unit focuses on curriculum matters in each school subject; thus Physical Science subject advisors support Physical Science teachers with content, pedagogical content knowledge, assessment and Interventions for improved results. This study investigated the role of Physical Science subject advisors in enhancing the quality of Physical Science teaching. Requirements for employment of a subject advisor (qualifications, work experience, interest, attitude and competence), challenges and solutions were explored by a mixed method study. A Physical Science provincial DCES, Physical Science subject advisors, principals, Physical Science teachers in four districts and four PLC support groups were purposefully sampled to explore perceptions of the subject advisor’s role in improving Physical Science teaching. Quantitative data collected by document analysis and questionnaires and qualitative data collected by individual and focus group interviews were analysed. Findings showed that the Physical Science subject advisors possessed minimum qualifications and experience; however, the school subject (Physics and Chemistry combined) does not match the specialization in tertiary institutions (divided into Physics and Chemistry). Thus, some subject advisors may major in one of two parts. Further, certain school content is not included in the university syllabus. This may limit advisors’ content knowledge, the core of content support in Physical Science. This influences support offered to Physical Science teachers and requires advisors’ professional development which is not currently offered by the Department of Basic Education. Recommendations based on the findings include immediate and long term solutions to improve effective subject advisory. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

This study focuses on the induction of novice teachers in Community Junior Secondary Schools (CJSS) in Gaborone, Botswana. The point of departure is that induction is an important factor that is essential to the success of every beginner teacher. It is the responsibility of the school management to provide comprehensive induction programmes that will support beginner teachers and retain them in the teaching profession. This problem was investigated by means of a literature study and an empirical investigation using a qualitative approach. A small sample of beginner teachers in six selected schools in Gaborone formed the sample for this study. Findings indicated that the extent to which novice teachers are given professional guidance and support in schools is not enough. It is recommended that induction programmes receive more priority in schools since the first year of teaching is the most important determiner in the teaching career of an individual. / Education management / M.Ed. (Education Management)

Beginner principals need support through a mentoring and coaching program to ensure effective curriculum management and to develop as curriculum leaders. The aim of the study was to determine the need of and the requirements for mentoring and coaching programs to ensure support in effective curriculum management. A comprehensive literature study was done and resulted in the success of mentoring and coaching programs and the focus pointing to effective curriculum management and specifically curriculum leadership in South Africa. The results from the literature study guided the empirical study through combined research. The focus fell on the roles, expectations, problems and support of beginner principals, curriculum management and leadership and the need of and the requirements for mentoring and coaching programs. Empirically it was dicovered that beginner principals are not supported efficiently as curriculum managers and curriculum leaders. Mentoring and coaching will address this need. The requirements of mentoring and coaching programs consist of: (1) Compulsary mentoring and coaching programs for all beginner principals; (2) Experienced principals as mentors; (3) Approved mentors who should receive training; (4) The beginner principal being allowed to choose his/her own mentor; (5) Mentors as curriculum experts / Beginnerprinsipale benodig ondersteuning in die vorm van 'n mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogram om die kurrikulum effektief te bestuur en om as kurrikulumleier te ontwikkel. Die doe! van hierdie studie was om die behoefte aan en die vereistes vir mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogramme te bepaal om beginnerprinsipale in effektiewe kurrikulumbestuur te ondersteun. 'n Uitgebreide literatuurstudie is uitgevoer wat die sukses van mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogramme vir beginnerprinsipale aandui en die fokus op kurrikulumbestuur en meer spesifiek kurrikulumleierskap in Suid-Afrika plaas. Die Iiteratuurstudie het as basis gedien vir die empiriese studie wat uit gekombineerde navorsing bestaan het. In die empiriese studie is daar op rolle, verwagtinge, probleme en ondersteuning van beginnerprinsipale gefokus. Daar is verder aandag gegee aan kurrikulumbestuur en -Ieierskap van beginnerprinsipale en die behoefte aan en vereistes vir mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogramme. Empiries is daar bevind dat beginnerprinsipale nie voldoende in kurrikulumbestuur en die ontwikkeling as kurrikulumleiers ondersteun word me. Mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogramme sal hierdie behoefte aanspreek. Die vereistes vir die mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogramme bestaan uit: (1) Verpligte mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogram vir aile beginnerprinsipale; (2) Die gebruik van ervare prinsipale as mentors; (3) Goedgekeurde mentors wat opleiding ontvang; ( 4) 'n Keuse deur die beginnerprinsipaal ten opsigte van sy/haar mentor; (5) Mentors wat kurrikulumkundiges is. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Onderwysbestuur)

The study seeks to examine the role of mentoring and how it could be used in the process of professional development of mathematical literacy teachers in the Greater Taung area. The study attempts to flag the importance of mentoring in professional development, especially for mathematical literacy teachers. To obtain data for the study sixteen mathematical literacy teachers from Taung area (within Ruth Mompati District) were purposively selected. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect relevant data. Literature review, based on previous studies on mentoring also provided data for the study. The following findings emerged from the study: a) that mentoring has over the years has been an effective process for developing early-career teachers’ practices b) that there are no formal mentoring programmes to assist mathematical literacy teachers in the Greater Taung area c) there is a need for effective communication between the mentor and the mentee, since the learning that takes place in a mentoring relationship is usually through regular interaction.From the findings, a collaborative form of mentoring is recommended.Both parties in this relationship are considered as a source of knowledge that can contribute to the learning that occurs within the context of mentoring. / Mathematics Education / Ph. D. (Mathematics Education)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Text in Afrikaans / In die verhandeling word mentorskap as 'n begeleidingshandeling ondersoek. Die oorsprong van mentorskap word nagespeur, enkele deur tyd beproefde kenmerke van mentorskap word bespreek en heersende praktyke ter bevordering van mentorskap word met die van vervloe eras vergelyk. 'n Uiteenlopende verskeidenheid opvattinge oor mentorskap word aan die orde gestel: benewens die standpunte van eietydse ontwikkelingpsigoloe, beroepskundiges, onderwys- en opvoedkundiges word die klassieke opvatting van mentorskap (socs wat dit weergegee is in die Odusseia en die Les Adventures de Telemaque, die werke van onderskeidelik Homerus en Fenelon) ook ender die loep geplaas. In die laaste afdeling word 'n aantal gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings gemaak met betrekking tot die doelstellings, aard, kenmerke en waarde van mentorskap, faktore wat die eindresultate van mentorskap kan beinvloed en die bekwaamhede en persoonseienskappe van mentors. Die aanbevelings sluit riglyne vir die effektiewe hantering van problematiese aangeleenthede rondommentorskap, ender meer die verpragmatisering en formalisering daarvan, in. / In this dissertation mentoring as a form of guidance is researched. The origin of mentoring is investigated, a few characteristics of mentoring which have stood the test of time are discussed and prevailing practices promoting mentoring are compared with those of bygone eras. A diverse variety of approaches to mentoring are presented: in addition to the views of contemporary behavioural psychologists, vocationalists, educationists and teaching specialists, the classic interpretation of mentoring (as presented in the Odyssey and the Les Adventures de Telemaque (the works of Homer and Fenelon respectively) is also considered. In the last section a number of conclusions and recommendations are made regarding the aims, nature, characteristics and value of mentoring, factors affecting the outcome of mentoring and the skills and personal characteristics of mentors. The recommendations include guidelines for the effective handling of problematic issues regarding mentoring, such as the pragmatization and formalization thereof. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Educational Studies)

Lecturers’ research output in higher education in Zimbabwe is low in general and at Mentors University (pseudonym) in particular. Although lecturers at Mentors University are expected to publish to avoid career stagnation, most lecturers are not tenured due to lack of publications in peer refereed journals with an aggregate impact factor of 0.5. The study aimed at formulating a model for developing lecturers’ research skills and its empirical testing to address the problem. A literature review examined theories of competency development and mentoring models. The informal group mentoring strategy was structured for application in a qualitative participatory action research design. A questionnaire captured factors influencing lecturer research output from a purposive sample of 260 lecturers at Mentors University. Another purposive sample of five lecturers participated in implementing the informal group mentoring intervention for model empirical testing. All participants had failed to publish, were available volunteers and committed to the intervention. The intervention comprised determining qualities of publishable papers through desk research; an evaluative reading of published and rejected papers; peer discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of papers; practice of research; the oral reporting of findings; peer evaluation of papers and the incorporation of peer critique into papers to improve quality prior to paper submission to journals. Survey findings indicated that research output was affected by a lack of both research and publishing skills and mentoring by research supervisors. Participants in the intervention entertained misconceptions of problem formulation, research design and application of probability sampling concepts. Computer skills for data analysis and oral presentation were poor. Further, the university had no policy for lecturer research skills development. As a result of the intervention, all five participants published a paper. The study concluded that lecturers can develop research skills for publication by forming informal mentoring groups; obtaining the services of a mentor; and applying the informal group mentoring model. It was recommended that the universities include development of research skills in their policies and train mentors for the application of the informal group mentoring research skill development model in new universities in Zimbabwe. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

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)

Thesis (MTech (Public Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / There is always much debate about the performance of high schools, especially around the lack of learners excelling and the Grade 12 poor pass rate. This dissertation nvestigates the impact of mentorship on the performance of principals, deputy principals and subject heads at a selection of high schools in the Cape Town metropolitan area. Literature on the topic indicates that various types of mentorship programmes exist. The literature review consisted of journal articles, books and policy documents. For the purpose of the empirical study, the research question of whether mentorship has a positive impact on the performance of senior personnel in high schools was best answered by following a quantitative approach to research. The study population comprised 42 senior staff members from three high schools in the Cape Town metropolitan area. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data from the sample of 21 senior staff members, and the data analysis was done by means of a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet using pie charts to illustrate the results. The study found that mentoring subordinate educators and principals is a Key Performance Area (KPA) of the convenience randomly selected schools that fall within the respective district under the jurisdiction of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), that key personnel are familiar with mentorship, but that there are some issues that need to be resolved. It is envisaged that the implementation of mentorship programmes at high schools will positively influence the development of educators, and impact positively on the performance of key personnel and the performance of the affected schools.