Submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree Master of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology of the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2003. / The aim of this study was to pursue an investigation into accountable parental involvement in primary schools From the literature study it became clear that there are many areas and possibilities for parents to become formally and informally involved in the schooling of their primary school children. Formal involvement of parents in school activities is based on juridical, historical and educational grounds. Juridically, legislation in South Africa stipulates that parents must be involved in the school at least at the level of governance. Parents exert a lot of influence on their child's cognitive development in the early years and thus the contact between home and school should be maintained, especially during the primary school years, if the child is to succeed in formal schooling. For the purpose of the empirical investigation a self-structured questionnaire, to be completed by primary school educators, was utilised. The completed questionnaires were analysed using descriptive statistics. In conclusion a summary was presented on the findings of the literature and empirical study and the following are some of the recommendations that were made: • Positive attitudes must be inculcated in parents to become actively involved in their children's formal schooling. • Educators and parents must be trained to offer parental involvement programmes. Further research should be conducted concerning the accountability of parents regarding their involvement in primary schools.

The transition of Navajo Indian children from boarding schools to public schools has brought about the challenge of involving parents in their children's education. These people have previously been accustomed to having the education of their children left to the distant schools, with little opportunity for parental involvement. As a consequence, it is often difficult to get these parents to accept the schools' invitations to participate in conferences and other activities when parental involvement is important. This study reviewed all of the reports that could be found of programs involving Indians and non-Indian parents in their children ' s education. These programs were discussed with reference to their applicability to Navajo culture and the geography of the reservation. Suggestions and guidelines were offered for using various parts of these programs with Navajo Indian parents.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of parent involvement on young African American Head start children's academic achievement and self-esteem. The experimental method of research employing the Pre-test/ Post-test Control Group Design was used. Forty-four Head Start students participated in this study: twenty-two were randomly assigned to the control group and twenty-two to the experimental group, respectively. Parents of children in the experimental group received parent involvement training, and parents of children in the control group did not. The Brigance Kindergarten and First Grade Screen and the Self-Esteem Index were administered to both groups in January 1995 prior to the treatment and in May 1995 at the conclusion of the treatment. Results of the two tailed t-test used to test the null hypotheses showed a statistically significant difference in the academic achievement levels of the groups, and it was concluded that children whose parents received parent involvement training achieved at higher academic levels than children whose parents did not. Both the experimental group and the control group showed a slight gain in self-esteem; however, differences in mean gains were not statistically significant. Major implications of the study are that African American Head Start parents are responsive to parent involvement training and that an outcome of their involvement is improved student overall academic achievement. On the basis of the study results, the following recommendations have been made: 1. The local school board should provide additional funding for parent involvement training in urban and inner-city schools. 2. Similar studies should be conducted to determine the effects of parent involvement training on academic achievement and self-esteem among upper level elementary students in urban schools. 3. Urban school administrators and teachers should participate in staff development programs designed to increase educators' knowledge of strategies which promote parent involvement.

Thesis (MPA) --University of Limpopo, 2013 / The study investigated the involvement of parents in school governance in Sibasa Circuit. Among others the study found that parents experience various challenges with their role in this regard. School Governing Bodies struggle to maintain a full complement of the parent’s component. However, there are various ways and means that can be used in order to improve the situation. The study used both qualitative and quantitative approaches in both data collection and analysis. The result from the study indicates that lack of capacity is a challenge to parents in contributing positively towards the involvement of school governance. The findings of this study have shown that there is a major concern that parents need to be given the opportunity to make inputs in the school. The study shows that the level of capacity and lack of ownership by parents is still a challenge; however the interest to change the status is still available by the parents. The recommendations suggest the following: • Parents should first be made familiar with the South African Schools Act of 84 of 1996. If parents could be educated on this Act, they would know the duties of governing bodies and what is expected from them. • The training should be conducted among all chairpersons, secretaries and treasurers in order for them to be taught how to conduct their duties; Effective consultation should be introduced in schools in order to encourage parents to be involved in school governance. Establishment of parental association can improve the involvement of parents in school governance. Parental association must educate parent members about the importance of communication. They must know that they have to communicate with other parents who are not members of the school governing body, because their duty is to represent their interests. This will help to foster parent involvement in school. Lastly, the National Department of Education needs to review Section 27 of South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 to include remuneration of school governing body members. This section is the one that states that no remuneration must be given to people for governing body duties. Remuneration can help to motivate parents to participate fully in governing body duties.

Bakalauro darbe analizuojamas socialinių pedagogų požiūris į tėvų įsitraukimo galimybes, sprendžiant vaikų socioedukacines problemas. Tyrime apklausta 100 socialinių pedagogų, dirbančių pradinėse, pagrindinėse, vidurinėse mokyklose ir gimnazijose. Anketinės apklausos metodu tirta tėvų dalyvavimo raiška ir jo poreikis, sprendžiant vaikų socioedukacines problemas, bei socialinių pedagogų pastangos įtraukti tėvus į socioedukacinių vaikų problemų sprendimo procesą. Analizuojant tyrimo duomenis, palygintos socialinių pedagogų nuomonės apie tėvų dalyvavimą ir jo poreikį, sprendžiant konkrečias socioedukacines vaikų problemas. Taip pat analizuota, kaip socialiniai pedagogai vertina tėvų vaidmenį bei bendravimą su tėvais socioedukacinių vaikų problemų sprendimo procese. Aiškintąsi, kokius socialiniai pedagogai naudoja tėvų informavimo apie problemą, skatinimo spręsti problemas, pedagoginio švietimo bei pagalbos pokalbyje su tėvais būdus. Tyrimu nustatyta, kad socialiniai pedagogai tėvų įsitraukimą vertina kaip pasyvų. Tėvai mažai dalyvauja socioedukacinės problemos sprendimo procese, bet, tam jie turėtų skirti daugiau dėmesio. Lyginant tėvų įsitraukimą į atskiras socioedukacines problemas ir įsitraukimo poreikį, nustatyta, kad beveik visoms problemoms tėvai skiria nepakankamai dėmesio. Pagrindinės menko tėvų dalyvavimo priežastys, socialinių pedagogų nuomone, yra tėvų asocialus elgesys, kuris gali būti suprantamas kaip šeimos priklausomumas rizikos atvejui, tėvų abejingumas... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The purpose of investigation was to analyse the social – educators view of parents involvement in the process of solving childrens social – educationals problems. In this investigation participated hundred social – educators who works in comprehensive schools. They had to fill form about parents involvement in childrens social – educationals problems and social – educators demands about that. Also they had to sum up his/her work to involve parents in the process of solving childrens social – educationals problems. The view about parents involvement and demands was compared. Also, it was analyse a social – educators view about parents role and comunication with parents. It was showed social – educators methods to inform about the problem, to motivate to solve the problem, to educate parents and to help in the conversation about the problem. The rezults of invetigation showed that a parents involvement is passive. Parents involve too litlle in the process of problems solving. They must to give more attention to this process. The rezults of the compare of a parents involvement and demands estime that parents involve too litlle in all childrens sociol - educational problems. There are bad habits, a motivation to learn and attendance, problems of personality and comunication with contemporaries. Principals problems of parents involvemet are their dissosiable behaviour, a indifference to their childrens, their emigration, their occupation in the work. Social educators estime that... [to full text]

Plusieurs travaux récents ont montré que l’implication des parents dans la scolarité de leur enfant accroît la probabilité que celui-ci puisse progresser d’une manière optimale tant dans le domaine des apprentissages qu’au point de vue des attitudes. Cependant même si l’institution tend à renforcer les relations parents-enseignants, tous n’accèdent pas de la même façon aux situations de communication et aux instances de la vie scolaire. Il en résulte une tension tout à fait perceptible au sein de la communauté éducative. Elle s’observe à la fois entre les acteurs de l’institution scolaire eux-mêmes (enseignants et autres membres de l’équipe éducative) et entre ceux-ci et les parents d’élèves ou leurs représentants. Cette thèse adopte une démarche de type ethnographique en immersion dans le milieu de recherche (une école primaire et une école maternelle), pour montrer l’interdépendance des relations parents-enseignants et les enjeux qui y sont attachés. Elle s’appuie sur des observations réalisées in vivo, des entretiens de recherche menés auprès des enseignants et des parents, l’étude et le suivi des parcours des élèves, pour étudier la construction sociale et scolaire des relations parents-enseignants et pour mesurer les effets de l’implication parentale sur l’adaptation scolaire des élèves, en prenant plus particulièrement en compte le niveau d’étude des parents et leur appartenance sociale. Outre les différences quant à la nature et la qualité des relations parents-enseignants, elle souligne les liens entre l’implication des parents et l’adaptation des élèves. / Several recent studies showed that parents' involvement in their children schooling increases the likelihood that children can progress in optimal way in the field of learning and in the point of view of attitudes. However, even if the institution tends to strengthen the relationships between parents and teachers, both of them do not reach the same communication situations and the instances of school life. As a result, a quite noticeable tension takes place within the educational community. This tension was observed between the actors of the school themselves (teachers and other members of the educational team) and the parents or their representatives. This thesis adopts an approach of ethnographic immersion in the research environment (primary school and kindergarten) to show the interdependence of relationships between parents and teachers and the related stakes. It is based on the observations made in vivo, and the research interviews conducted between teachers and parents, the study on continuation of the students' achievements in order to study the social and scholar construction of the relationships between parents and teachers and to assess the effects of parents involvement in scholar adaptation of students, taking a particular account the parents educational level and their social status. In addition to the differences in the nature and quality of parents-teachers relations, the thesis highlights the relationship between the parental involvement and students adaptation.

本研究旨在探討宜蘭縣城鄉國中學生學習態度、家長參與及學習成就比較之研究。研究對象是以宜蘭縣各類型國中為分析單位，搜集國中學生三年前、後的學習成就比較，並透過問卷調查方式搜集所需的資料，再運用各種統計方法對有效樣本加以分析檢視，歸納結論如下： 壹、宜蘭縣國中學生在不同背景變項的學習成就之情形 一、宜蘭縣國中不同學校類型其學習成就，都會型學校高於鄉村型學校，有顯著差異；但對高分群的學生，鄉村型學校的學生其學習成就是高於都會型學校的學生。 二、宜蘭縣不同規模的國中學校其學習成就有顯著差異，大型學校高於中型學校，中型學校高於小型學校；但對高分群的學生，中型和小型學校的學生其學習成就是高於大型學校的學生。 三、宜蘭縣國中越區就讀和未越區就讀學生其學習成就有顯著差異，越區就讀高於鄉村未越區就讀學生；但對高分群的學生，鄉村型未越區的學生其學習成就是高於越區就讀的學生。 四、宜蘭縣國中不同性別學生其學習成就在國文、英文和前後測總分中有顯著差異，女生的學業成就表現比男生好。 貳、宜蘭縣國中學生學習態度、家長參與度與學生學業成就之情形 一、不同背景變項之宜蘭縣國中學生學習態度情形： 1. 學生性別：宜蘭縣國中女學生在學習態度顯著高於男學生。 2. 越區就讀：「都會型｣學校之國中學生主動學習構面明顯高於「鄉村型｣學校生，但「都會越區｣的國中學生習態度和「鄉村型」學校並未有顯著性差異。 3. 入學成績：「高分組｣的學生其學習態度高於「低分組｣學生。 4. 升學期望：期望進入「高中｣之國中學生學習態度明顯高於期望其他各組期望之國中學生；期望進入「高職｣、「五專｣之國中學生學習態度明顯高於期望「就業｣之國中學生。 5. 家長社經：「父母高社經地位｣之國中學生學習態度明顯高於「父母低社經地位｣。 6. 學校規模：「大型學校｣之國中學生計畫執行構面明顯高於「中型學校｣之國中學生，「中型學校｣之國中學生計畫執行構面明顯高於「小型學校｣之國中學生。 二、不同背景變項之宜蘭縣國中家長參與度情形： 1. 學生性別：女學生之家長親師輔導顯著高於男學生之家長。 2. 越區就讀：「都會型｣學校之學生家長參與度各層面及整體明顯高於「鄉村型｣學校之學生；且「都會越區｣之學生在家長參與度及學業參與構面高於「鄉村未越區｣之學生。 3. 入學成績：「高分組｣之學生在家長參與度各構面之得分高於入學成績為「低分組｣之學生。 4. 升學期望：期望進入「高中｣學生之家長參與度各構面皆高於其他各組期望之學生。 5. 學校規模：「大型學校｣之學生在家長參與度與學業參與明顯高於「小型學校｣之學生。 三、不同背景變項的宜蘭縣國中學生，在學習成就和學業成績進步之情形： 1. 學生性別：不同性別之學生在學習成就中，國文、英文、總分等均達顯著水準，女生高於男生；但在學業成績進步的情形則未達顯著。 2. 越區就讀：「都會越區｣之學生在學習成就各科之得分都顯著高於「鄉村未越區｣之學生。且以學業成績進步情形，在都會地區學校未越區之學生其學業成績進步情形高於從鄉村越區到都會就讀之學生；在鄉村型學校，越區到都會型學校就讀的學生其學業成績進步情形，高於鄉村未越區就讀之學生。 3. 入學成績：「高分組｣之學生學習成就明顯高於入學成績「低分組｣之學生。但「低分組｣之學生學業成績進步情形高於入學成績「高分組｣之學生。 4. 升學期望：（1）期望進入「高中｣之學生學習成就明顯高於期望其他各類期望；期望進入「高職｣、「五專｣之學生學習成就明顯高於期望「就業｣之學生。（2）期望能讀到「研究所｣之學生學習成就明顯高於期望其他各類期望；期望能讀到「大學｣之學生學習成就明顯高於期望就讀「專校｣、「高中職｣、「專校｣之學生。（3）期望進入「高中｣之學生學業成績的進步上明顯高於期望進入「高職｣與「五專｣之學生。 5. 家長社經：「父母高社經地位｣之學生學習成就明顯高於「父母低社經地位｣之學生，且在學業成績的進步上也是如此。 6. 學校規模：「大型學校｣學校之學生學習成就明顯高於「中型學校｣、「小型學校｣學校之學生；「中型學校｣學校之學生學習成就明顯高於「小型學校｣學校之學生。但對學生學業進步分數數並未造成顯著影響。 最後，根據研究結果與結論，提出具體建議，以供教育行政機關、學校、家長與未來研究之參考。

This research focuses on the perceptions and attitudes that parents have towards the learning area Technology. The research was motivated by the fact that the learning area Technology is a ‘new’ learning area, that has only come into being since the inception of outcomes based education. The study took into account the fact that the parents of grade 7 pupils of 2009 do not have first hand knowledge of this learning area. It was because of this reason that it is interesting to find out what these parents perceptions are of this learning area. Technology is a composite of many old subjects, such as needlework, woodwork, domestic science and arts and crafts. A literature study was undertaken to ascertain what has been written about the history of Technology world-wide and especially in South–Africa. The emergence of outcomes based education, curriculum 2005 as well as the revised national curriculum are written about in the literature study. The role of the parent in the child’s life was also examined with special focus on the parent’s role in the school and learning context. The study was undertaken in the three districts of Tshwane. These three districts had representative English and Afrikaans schools as well as schools that were well resourced and others that were less well resourced chosen and compared to each other as well as mothers and fathers views. The research was done by way of questionnaires that had questions to be answered by way of the Likert scale as well as two open questions. The study was mainly quantitative with a small qualitative component to give a better understanding of the subject. According to the majority of data collected the parents do not have a favourable attitude and perception towards Technology. Copyright / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

The quality of education in South Africa has come increasingly under scrutiny for various reasons and learners ‘performance in mathematics is one of the main areas of concern. Learners in secondary schools in Nzhelele East Circuit in Limpopo Province, South Africa, are not performing well in mathematics. Learners who want to pursue careers such as civil engineering, medicine and other qualifications where mathematics is a prerequisite find it difficult to follow these careers. The study used focus group discussions with 20 Grade 12 learners, face-to-face semi-structured interviews with six teachers and four SMT to investigate factors affecting grade 12 learners performance in mathematics in two secondary schools. The study highlighted socio-cultural and psychological factors that are seen to be barriers in mathematics performance. The purpose of this study was to explore factors that affect Grade 12 learners’ performance in mathematics. As there are many factors, this study's main emphasis was on the influence of the home environment, teachers’ competence and attitudes in teaching mathematics, learners’ attitudes towards mathematics and strategies that can be used to improve learners’ performance in mathematics. The afore-said were named themes each of which related to questions contained in the semi-structured interview schedule. The study included literature review from Kenya, Ghana and South Africa. Qualitative research method was used. Interviews were conducted with SMT, teachers and learners. The researcher set out to answer the following question What are the dominant and most profound socio-cultural and psychological factors of the Grade 12 mathematics learners affecting performance in the Nzhelele East Circuit, Vhembe District of Limpopo Province? The following points will also be taken into consideration during this research. How do learner performance trends in mathematics education look like among Grade 12 mathematics learners in the Nzhelele East Circuit, Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, and South Africa? What are the teacher-based factors established to have been contributory to the state of learner performance in mathematics in the selected participant schools? What are the School Management Team (SMTs) factors established to have been contributory to the state of learner performance in mathematics in the selected participant schools? THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Aim This study investigates the dominant and most profound socio-cultural and psychological factors affecting learner performance in mathematics among Grade 12 learners in the Nzhelele East Circuit, Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, and South Africa. Objectives The objective of this study was to explore the socio-cultural and psychological factors in the home and school environment that affect Grade 12 learners performance in mathematics at Nzhelele East Circuit, Vhembe District of Limpopo Province. Based on the above question the following were findings of the research. • Mathematics is believed to be a critical school subject in most regions of the world in general, and Sub-Saharan Africa in particular. • A plethora of governments – especially those in developing economies where governments are targeting industrialization and technological development believe mathematics is crucial for facilitating development and advancement of the general populace of their regions. • Mathematics is a compulsory subject in most education systems around the world. • There are a variety of complexities and constraints affecting the teaching and learning of mathematics in most regions of the world. • There is poor learner performance in mathematics. This is indicated by high failure rate in mathematics during end-of-year learner assessments. • The reasons for the poor performance of learners in mathematics in the selected schools were vast and intertwined. • Efforts have been made at international level to intervene with regard finding solutions to complexities and constraints affecting teaching-learning environment in mathematics. • The complexities and constraints affecting the teaching-learning environment of mathematics in South Africa stem from South Africa's past era of apartheid education. • Mathematics has been a major target of improvement and transformation by the post-apartheid government in South Africa. • Regardless of the efforts made by the post-apartheid government in South Africa to improve and transform teaching-learning environment in mathematics, there are perpetual complexities and constraints still hindering progress, and this affects learner output in mathematics. • Mathematics is one of the poorly performing subjects in the post-apartheid education system in South African schools – especially those schools which are based in formerly disadvantaged areas such as homelands and townships. • There is a growing body of literature investigating the complexities and constraints affecting the teaching-learning of mathematics in South Africa. Apart from the conclusions based on general observations, the study furthermore concluded that critical learner-based factors, teacher-based factors and SMT-base factors contributed to the state of affairs in the selected participant schools. This study therefore concluded thus: • Learner-based factors Mathematics learners were poorly prepared in the lower grades for senior grades. In other words, learners lacked proper foundation and background in mathematics. Learners were not well taught the basics of mathematics in previous grades. Furthermore, mathematics learners lacked assistance with homework for example because the majority of parents were illiterate and therefore not involved in supervision of learners beyond school environment. Learners showed negative attitude towards their teachers and the subject. Learners were not self-motivated in mathematics. • Teacher-based factors Teachers did not have enough workshops on how to teach mathematics, and also on content knowledge improvement. Less creative teachers were teaching mathematics. Teachers lacked support from their principals. The majority of teachers lacked passion in mathematics. • School Management Teams (SMTs) factors This study concludes that mathematics teachers were not receiving adequate support from the School management Teams (SMTs). Lack of teacher support by SMTs stems from poor organisation of supervisory roles expected from SMTs. Teachers' work is not being properly monitored and supervised. RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the conclusions drawn from the study, the following recommendations are crucial, and they have to be implemented: • Recommendations to the Department of Education This study recommends that the Department of Education should monitor or revisit the methods of teaching and learning of mathematics. Assessment should also be revisited to ensure that the mathematics paper is not too long for the learners during examinations. Enlisted service providers who facilitate teacher workshops for mathematics must be conversant with content requirements of mathematics. Considerations should be made to simplify the mathematics question paper. The Department of Education should also provide necessary resources such as textbooks timeously. Knowledgeable mathematics specialists and advisers could be enlisted to visit regular visits to schools to assist teachers and learners throughout the year. • Recommendations to the School Management Teams (SMTs) The SMT should ensure that their educators are adequately qualified to teach mathematics. as a subject as well as being able to teach their learners in a way that they understand the subject. In addition, teachers who are knowledgeable in teaching mathematics should be appointed to teach mathematics. The SMTs should also ensure that compulsory workshops are provided for mathematics teachers at school level. Furthermore, the SMTs should ensure that educators are able to identify learners that are under-performing, monitor the utilisation of study time and assist in resolving problems regarding the poor performance of such individual learners. School Management Teams shall facilitate additional after-hours lessons and sessions to assist learners identified as lacking in home environment assistance for example. Moreover, SMTs should also encourage all Grade 12 mathematics learners to participate in supervised extra mathematics lessons and extra-mural activities in order to develop and build their self-confidence and positive self-esteem. In addition, the SMT members should be more supportive to their mathematics teachers. Continuous moderation of teachers' work should be encouraged. School Management Teams (SMTs) should also develop motivational programmes and instruments to encourage and motivate learners in their respective schools. For example, performing learners could be awarded with prizes in public – especially during school organised functions which might include learners, teachers and parents. • Recommendations to the teachers The teachers should make it a point that they attended mathematics workshops as organised by various stakeholders. Teachers' interest in mathematics could be improved by improving their knowledge of subject content in mathematics, and personal recognition by authorities. Performing teachers could also be recognised and awarded with prizes publicly at school gatherings and meetings. Teachers should also be encouraged to obtain further qualifications and skills in mathematics. • Recommendations to the learners Efforts should be made to improve learners’ attitudes towards mathematics, and in addition to their mathematics teachers. Learners should be made aware of national target for mathematics education and the implications thereof. This could be achieved by utilizing educators – especially those who teach Guidance as a subject to learners to provide more convincing evidence of the spin-offs of obtaining good passes in mathematics in South Africa. SUGGESTION FOR AREAS NEEDING FURTHER STUDY There is a need to conduct follow-up research on: • applied strategies and instrument to improve learner attitude towards mathematics. • Establishing whether the complexities and constraints affecting learner performance in mathematics affect both girl and boy learners the same considering that their circumstances and conditions might materially differ. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)