Return to search

The role of the facilitator in implementing an adult basic education and training (ABET) programme in a rural area in the Southern Cape

Thesis (MEd) -- Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It is estimated that some 12,5 to 15 million adults in South Africa have had little or no
education. Since the first democratic elections in April 1994 the political, economical
and social context in South Africa is in the process of transformation. In order to cope
with this transformation phase, South Africa is creating structures where the culture of
every citizen, irrespective of class, race or gender is acknowledged and respected. One
of these structures is the provision of basic education to all South African adults who
have historically been deprived of education and training.
The changing political situation in South Africa has inevitably influenced the concept
of what literacy is for and how it should be taught. This inevitably affects the role
performance of facilitators (educators of adults) at grass roots level. Recent policy
developments place heavy demands on facilitators without adequately considering the
necessary inputs needed to cope with these demands. The purpose of this study is
therefore to make a meaningful contribution to the understanding of the challenging
and important role of the facilitator in ABET.
A qualitative approach which provided a clear description of the roles facilitators are
currently performing in a rural area in the Southern Cape was chosen. This revealed
the factors having an impact on the role performances of a facilitator.
This study revealed the following:
• In keeping with international trends the teacher's role in adult basic education in
South Africa has been redefined as that of a facilitator of learning.
• The attitudes adopted by the literacy organization can directly influence the
teaching approach adopted by facilitators during classroom practice.
• Facilitators need to exhibit flexibility when using different teaching styles during
classroom practice.
• Training objectives should encompass the different learning and teaching styles of
facilitators.
In order to enable facilitators to perform their multiple roles in ABET the preparation
and continuing support of facilitators at grass roots level is crucial, especially if ABET
is to make a meaningful contribution towards solving the adult literacy problems as
experienced in South Africa and to prevent littering the South African landscape with
the debris of failed projects / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Na raming het ongeveer 12,5 tot 15 miljoen volwassenes in Suid-Afrika min of geen
onderwysonderrig gehad nie. Sedert die eerste demokratiese verkiesing in April 1994,
is die politieke, ekonomiese. en sosiale konteks in Suid-Afrika in 'n proses van
transformasie. Ten einde hierdie transformasiefase te bowe te kom, is Suid-Afrika
besig om strukture te skep waarin die kultuur van elke burger ongeag klas, ras of
geslag, erken en gerespekteer word. Een van hierdie strukture is die voorsiening van
basiese onderwys aan alle Suid-Afrikaanse volwassenes wat histories onderwys en
opleiding ontbeer het.
Die veranderende Suid-Afrikaanse politieke situasie het 'n uitwerking gehad op die
begrip van die doel van geletterdheid en hoe dit onderrig moet word. Hierdie
werklikheid het onvermydelik weer 'n uitwerking op die rolvervulling van
fasiliteerders ( onderwysers v1r volwassenes) op grondvlak. Onlangse
beleidsontwikkeling stel hoe eise aan fasiliteerders, sonder voldoende oorweging van
die noodsaaklike insette wat fasiliteerders moet lewer ten einde aan hierdie eise te
voldoen. Die doel van hierdie studie is dus om 'n sinvolle hydrae te lewer om die
uitdagende en belangrike rol van die fasiliteerder in volwasse basiese onderwys
(VBO) te verstaan.
'n K walitatiewe benadering is verkies wat 'n dui de like beskrywing gee van die rolle
wat fasiliteerders tans in 'n landelike gebied van die Suid-Kaap vervul en wat die
faktore weerspieel wat 'n uitwerking op die rolvervulling van 'n fasiliteerder het.
Die studie het die volgende tendense aan die lig gebring:
• In ooreenstemming met intemasionale neigings, is die rol van die onderwyser in
volwasse basiese onderwys in Suid-Afrika herdefinieer as 'nfasiliteerder van die
leerproses.
• Die gesindhede wat deur die geletterdheidsorganisasie aanvaar word, kan die
onderrigbenadering van die fasiliteerder in die klaskamer direk be"invloed.
• Fasiliteerders moet buigsaamheid aan die dag le by die gebruik van verskillende
onderrigstyle in die klaskamer.
• Opleidingsdoelwitte moet die verskillende leer- en onderrigstyle van fasiliteerders
omsluit.
Ten einde fasiliteerders in staat te stel om hulle veelvuldige rolle in volwasse basiese
onderwys te vervul, is die voorbereiding en deurlopende ondersteuning van fasiliteerders op grondvlak deurslaggewend, veral indien volwasse basiese onderwys
en opleiding 'n sinvolle hydrae wil maak tot die oplossing van volwassenes se
geletterdheidsprobleme soos dit tans in Suid-Afrika ondervind word en as dit wil
verhoed dat die Suid-Afrikaanse landskap met die opdrifsels van mislukte projekte
besaai word. / National Research Foundation (NFR)

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52021
Date January 2000
CreatorsMalan, Sharon Brenda
ContributorsEngelbrecht, P., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Formatxiii, 256 p. : ill.
RightsStellenbosch University

Page generated in 0.003 seconds