Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One of the main features of the Economic and Management Sciences (EMS)
learning area is that it prepares learners to participate in an economically
complex society where social justice and a healthy environment are key
concerns. Teachers are faced with an important learning outcome in the EMS
curriculum, namely Sustainable Growth and Development, requiring them to
equip learners with an understanding of sustainability and to encourage critical
reflection on the related processes. This research aims to explore EMS teachers’
underlying conceptual understanding of sustainable development and to establish
how these understandings relate to their teaching practices.
The meaning of sustainable development has elicited multiple and contested
reactions in the literature. Many authors are in agreement that development
strategies should be consistent with the planet’s resources and linked to a
balance between society, economy and the environment. However, increased
production and consumption resulting from neoliberal economic policies and
intensified global competition invariably disturb the earth’s ecosystem. On the
one hand, increased economic activity has the advantage of resource
development (capital, natural and human resources) that promotes economic
growth. On the other hand, this growth occurs at the expense of resource
exploitation which in turn leads to environmental degradation, the erosion of
cultural identities, health risks and, in many instances, unsustainable lifestyles.
There is a growing consensus that knowledge and a changed mindset are
required for developing an enhanced focus towards a sustainable future. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) provides the knowledge, skills,
values and theories for promoting sustainable development.
The research was conducted within a constructivist-interpretivist paradigm. A
case study design strategy, as part of a qualitative research approach, was
selected to best answer the research question. The data collection was done by
means of the literature reviewed, in-depth interviews and subject-object
interviews (written explanations). This was followed by the systematic
categorisation and coding of the data by means of content analysis.
The main finding of the study was that EMS teachers had a single focus with
regard to sustainable development: their understanding predominantly related to
the economic pillar of sustainable development. The interrelatedness of the
economy, society and the environment to achieve sustainable development
objectives was not subjected to much scrutiny. This research showed that there
is a need for ESD to be integrated into the EMS discourse. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Een van die uitstaande kenmerke van die leerarea: Ekonomiese en
Bestuurswetenskappe (EBW) is dat dit leerders voorberei vir deelname binne 'n
ekonomies komplekse samelewing waar maatskaplike geregtigheid en ‘n gesonde
omgewing ‘n kern-uitdaging vorm. Onderwysers word gekonfronteer met 'n
belangrike leeruitkoms in die EBW-kurrikulum, naamlik Volhoubare Groei en
Ontwikkeling, wat van hulle verwag om leerders toe te rus met 'n begrip van
volhoubaarheid en om kritiese refleksie oor verwante prosesse te stimuleer.
Hierdie navorsing het ten doel om die onderliggende konseptuele begrip van
volhoubare ontwikkeling by EBW-onderwysers te verken en vas te stel hoe
hierdie begrip betrekking het op hul onderrig praktyke.
Die betekenis van volhoubare ontwikkeling het verskeie en omstrede reaksies in
die literatuur ontlok. Baie outeurs stem saam dat die ontwikkeling van
strategieë in ooreenstemming moet wees met die planeet se hulpbronne en
gekoppel moet word aan 'n balans tussen die samelewing, die ekonomie en die
omgewing. Verhoogde produksie en verbruik, as gevolg van die neoliberale
ekonomiese beleid, versterk egter wêreldwye mededinging en versteur sodoende
die aarde se ekosisteem. Enersyds het toenemende ekonomiese aktiwiteit die
voordeel van hulpbronontwikkeling (kapitaal, natuurlike en menslike hulpbronne)
wat ekonomiese groei bevorder. Andersyds vind hierdie groei plaas ten koste
van hulpbronbenutting, wat weer lei tot die agteruitgang van die omgewing, die
aftakeling van kulturele identiteit, gesondheidsrisiko's, en, in baie gevalle, nie-volhoubare lewenstyle. Daar is 'n groeiende konsensus dat kennis en 'n
verandering in denkwyse nodig is om ‘n sterker fokus op 'n volhoubare toekoms
te verseker. Opvoeding vir Volhoubare Ontwikkeling (OVO) verskaf die kennis,
waardes en teorieë vir die vestiging van volhoubare ontwikkeling.
Hierdie navorsing is onderneem binne 'n konstruktivisties-interpretivistiese
paradigma. Om die beste antwoord op die navorsingsvraag te bied, is ‘n
kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering gekies en ‘n gevallestudie-ontwerpstrategie
gevolg. As deel van die data-insameling is die literatuur voortdurend verken en
in-diepte onderhoude is gevoer, gevolg deur geskrewe verduidelikings. Hierna is
die sistematiese kategorisering en kodering van die data deur middel van 'n
inhoudsanalise gedoen.
Die belangrikste bevinding van die studie was dat die EBW-onderwysers 'n
enkele fokus gehad het ten opsigte van volhoubare ontwikkeling: hul begrip het
hoofsaaklik betrekking gehad op die ekonomiese pilaar van volhoubare
ontwikkeling. Daar was deurgaans 'n gebrek aan kritiese refleksie oor die
interverwantskap tussen die ekonomie, die samelewing, die omgewing en die
wyse waarop die doelwitte van volhoubare ontwikkeling bereik kan word. Hierdie
navorsing het getoon dat daar 'n behoefte bestaan om OVO binne die EBWleerarea
te integreer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/19923 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | America, Carina Georgina |
| Contributors | Le Grange, L. L., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xvii, 313 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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