published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Government and Public Administration

University of Macau / Faculty of Education

This case study explores the experiences of eight newly appointed teachers at a school for intellectually disabled learners. A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed to interpret interview data. The literature study investigates the phenomenon of staff turnover and includes key literature themes such as adult learning theories of Senge and Vygotski, the life cycle of a teacher, the special school context and problems and needs experienced by beginning teachers. The key findings of the research were that beginning special education teachers experienced various problems and needs but that, with well planned structured support, these problems could successfully be overcome. The researcher has developed a set of guidelines, which could be used in developing a staff induction programme, aimed at raising the effectiveness of newly appointed teachers at a school for intellectually disabled learners. This research once again emphasizes the need for a well planned, structured induction programme. / Further Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This study investigated human resource challenges besetting school managers in Vryheid district in Zululand region in KwaZulu-Natal: an educational management perspective. The target population consisted of school managers in the service of KwaZulu-Natal Province, Zululand Region in Vryheid district in the Department of Education. For educators to perform satisfactorily, their skills, abilities and motives to perform duties must match their job requirements. Managers must recruit and select qualified and dedicated staff members for the effectiveness of the school depends on the effectiveness of the staff. The challenges of school managers are to attract, recruit, retain, motivate and develop the staff. They should not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone. They have to redress the past imbalances when appointing the staff. They work under stressful conditions with different types of people, all with their own beliefs, values, cultures and work ethics. Educators with best results are promoted to senior positions where they are sometimes not utilised. Learners are becoming more uncontrollable, rude, violent and undisciplined. some are promoted and others. Endless strikes, turnover, absenteeism, redeployment, late coming, over-crowded classrooms, many changes, poor performance; hostility is very common in schools. The growing numbers of educators, who die, retire, promoted and resigning each year, resulting in the shortage of experienced educators to substitute them. The lack of reliable resources or help within the Department of Education. . A qualitative explanatory and descriptive approach has been adopted in the present research to investigate school managers’ challenges. The research findings of the investigation confirmed that numerous challenges exist in schools and that school managers require training and intervention strategies to help them cope with the changes in the education system in South Africa. The limitations and recommendations were discussed. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Lärare har i sin dagliga kontakt med barn en unik roll i att upptäcka barn som far illa, de omfattas av en lagstadgad, personlig och ovillkorlig anmälningsskyldighet. Trots detta är anmälningsbenägenheten generellt sett låg och det antas finnas ett stort mörkertal barn som far illa. Syftet med vår studie var att undersöka skolpersonals kunskaper om och attityder till att vid misstanke om att ett barn far illa ingripa på ett lämpligt och konstruktivt sätt. En kvalitativ studie med semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes. Genom tematisk analys utvärderades det empiriska materialet och empirin kopplades till tidigare forskning och teoretiska perspektiv och begrepp inom den symboliska interaktionismen. Våra slutsatser är att det finns ett glapp mellan vad skolpersonal enligt skolverket förväntas göra avseende barn som far illa och vad de gör. Vi har identifierat en bristande förmåga att identifiera barn som far illa och en hierarki där lärare kan förhindras att fullfölja sin anmälningsskyldighet. / In their daily contact with children, teachers have a unique role in detecting child-maltreatment, as mandated reporters they are subject to a statutory personal and unconditional notification. Nevertheless, reporting abilities are generally low, and it is assumed that there are a large number of children who are maltreated. The purpose of our study was to investigate school staff’s knowledge and attitudes to act in an appropriate and constructive way if suspicion arises that a child is maltreated. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews were conducted. The empirical data, evaluated through a thematic analysis and linked to previous research and theoretical perspectives and concepts within symbolic interactionism. Our conclusion is that there is a gap between how teachers act regarding maltreated children and how they are supposed to act according to skolverket. We have identified a lack of ability to identify maltreated children and a hierarchy where teachers can be prevented from completing their mandatory reporting.

Mathematics and science form an integral part people’s daily lives. South African people suddenly find themselves on a technological highway, where mathematical, scientific and creative thinking as well as problem solving skills take centre stage. However many people fear these, and believe that they are unable to tackle them. Mathematics and science educators therefore have need to have knowledge and understanding regarding 6 the foundation of the teaching of these subjects in the intermediate and senior phases at schools. This should enable them to contribute positively towards changing people’s perceptions about these subjects. Based on the above information I felt it imperative for me to investigate the impact of shortages of maths and science educators with special reference to the Buffalo City Area. Purpose of the study: 1 To determine whether schools are able to attract and retain qualified maths and science educators, 2 To identify the quantity of quality maths and science learners schools are able to produce for tertiary education, 3 To investigate the rate of turnover of maths and science educators, 4 To identify the number of maths and science learners who are willing to study maths and science at tertiary level and thereafter join the teaching fraternity.

The purpose of this empirical study was to establish how school managers address the problem of teacher attrition in public secondary schools in Zambia with a view of developing strategies that may be used to reduce teacher attrition in schools. The objectives of the study were to examine how teacher attrition affects the functioning of public secondary schools; find out which factors influence teacher attrition in public secondary schools; and determine and describe which measures are used to sustain teacher retention in public secondary schools. The study adopted a case study design employing mainly the qualitative approach of data collection and analysis. However, quantitative methods of data collection and analysis were also employed to a lesser extent to complement the qualitative aspect. The data were collected through interviews and questionnaires. The sample consisted of 33 participants comprising 30 school managers and three (3) district education board Secretaries from Chongwe, Lusaka and Kafue Districts of Lusaka province. The qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis while the quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20 to generate descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that teacher attrition positively correlates to poor staffing levels and poor student achievement (r=0.812). The study further established factors influencing teacher attrition in public secondary schools as being poor working conditions, lack of administrative support, low salaries, low social status accorded to teachers and lack of continuous professional development were among the major causes of teacher attrition. In terms of measures used by school managers in addressing the issue of teacher attrition, these include: high salaries, reduced workload, adequate administrative support, fair promotion and fair treatment, participatory decision making, and creating a positive school climate. Basing on the study findings, the following recommendations are made; that school managers should coordinate organisation climate, that is, they should start with transformation of their individual school’s organisational climate in order to create an enabling atmosphere which reduces teacher attrition. School managers should effect strategies for teacher retention through continuous professional development; they should ensure that all programmes and activities aim at addressing the actual continuous professional development needs of the teachers. School managers should apply sufficient school management support. The MoE provide explicit preparation for school managers by providing and showing them the significance of managing teacher attrition. / Educational Management and Leadership / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The objective of education authorities worldwide is to enhance teachers’ professional capacities and practices through the supply of quality continuous professional development (CPD) activities. The South African education system has been subjected to many changes during the past two decades which have seriously affected the quality of education provided in schools country wide. Professional development (PD) of teachers has been found to be a key factor in raising standards in South African schools. Although the National Department of Education has identified teacher development as important, very little has transpired in the education system. School leaders should, therefore, take on the responsibility of providing their staff with PD opportunities. To support teachers in special schools and to enhance their professional capacity, the researcher designed, implemented and evaluated a collaborative PD model in six special schools in Gauteng. The aim of the study was to establish the value of the CPD programme on teachers’ learning, learners’ outcomes and whole school change. This multi-phased case study research was positioned within a bigger study conducted by the Gauteng Department of Education and in particular the Early Childhood Development Institute (ECDI). This larger study was based on the fact that most of the burn related accidents in South Africa occur in the 0-4 age group, which served as the rationale for including the fire safety programme in the ECD curriculum. The focus during the research was on the adaptation of fire safety activities and learners and teacher support materials for an inclusive classroom. This research reports on a two year study on the implementation of a CPD model based on collaboration and peer coaching. The theoretical framework for this study links to theories of constructivism, organisational theory of Senge, network and social capital. This research serves as an example of where valuable internal and external networks were formed for the benefit of all involved with the study. During this research theory and practice were successfully integrated for the benefit of the individual, the school and external organisations. / Department of Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)