Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In South Africa the transformation process in education has placed tremendous
pressure on teachers, redefining roles, functions and imposing new levels of
accountability on education professionals. This thesis is based on research examining
teachers' experiences of and responses to the recent policy changes and their
implications for teachers' work at primary school level. The research captures a small
selection of the diverse views and reflections of teachers in case studies of in-service
teacher education processes set against the backdrop of major educational changes
driven by structural and policy changes in a changing socio-political context. The
participants in the research project consisted of a selection serving (working) teachers
who attended in-service teacher education programmes voluntarily. The
interpretations of events reflect my own perspectives and are informed by both the
participants in the research and the specific period in which the research took place.
Data produced suggests that while the initial legislative changes took place fairly
quickly, the implementation of more systemic, structural, curricular and
administrative changes posed a greater challenge. Hastily introduced changes related
to practice about which teachers were not consulted resulted in professional
uncertainty being induced and teachers experiencing confusion, anxiety and doubts
about their competence. Large numbers in classes, poor resources, micropolitical
issues at schools, were mentioned as contextual constraints affecting implementation
of changes as prescribed in policies. Small pockets of compliance with and support
for change initiatives were however also evident in the responses.
I contend that the overwhelmingly resistant responses of teachers in the case studies
conducted are related to contextual constraints and the decontextualised, externally
developed policies and externally imposed changes that ignore teachers' experience
(as teacher and personal), beliefs, values and local contexts and broader social
contexts. Further I posit that planning of change processes needs to involve teachers at
all levels including policy development and in-service activities so that teachers are
not only informed of changes but are part of the change process. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die transformasieproses van die onderwys in Suid-Afrika het geweldige druk op
onderwysers geplaas omdat hulle rolle en funksies hergedefinieer is en nuwe vlakke
van verantwoordelikheid op onderwyskundiges geplaas is. Die navorsing waaroor in
hierdie tesis gerapporteer word, is gebaseer op onderwysers se ervarings van en
reaksies op die onlangse veranderinge in beleidsdokumente. Die imp likasies vir die
werk van onderwysers in die primêre skool word ook betrek. Die navorsing hanteer
gevallestudies waarin 'n klein gedeelte aangespreek word van die diverse sienings en
refleksies van onderwysers wat deelgeneem het aan indiensopleiding met die oog op
die implementering van Kurrikulum 2005. Dit word gestel teen die agtergrond van die
grootskaalse onderwysveranderinge as uitvloeisel van die strukturele en politieke
veranderinge in 'n veranderende sosio-politieke konteks. Die deelnemers aan die
navorsingsprojek was 'n seleksie diensdoende onderwysers wat die programme op 'n
vrywillige basis bygewoon het. Alhoewel hulle reaksies as uitgangspunt vir die
interpreasie van die resultate gebruik is, reflekteer die interpretasie my eie
perspektiewe, gegrond op sowel die ervarings van die deelnemers aan die
navorsingsproses as die tydperk waartydens die navorsing plaasgevind het.
Die data wat geproduseer is, sugureer dat, in teenstelling met die relatief vinnige
veranderinge van die aanvanklike wetgewing, die implementering van die meer
sistematiese, strukturele, kurrikurêle en administratiewe veranderings 'n groter
uitdaging gebied het. Veranderinge in verband met die onderwyspraktyk, wat baie
vinnig ingebring is sonder om die onderwysers daaroor te raadpleeg, het tot
professionele onsekerheid gelei, aangevul met verwardheid, vrees en twyfeloor hulle
bekwaamheid. Groot klasse, gebrekkige hulpbronne, mikro-politiese sake by die
skole, is genoem as kontekstuele beperkings wat die implementering van die
voorgeskrewe beleidsveranderinge beïnvloed het. Slegs'n klein groepie onderwysers
het die beleidsveranderinge aanvaar of ondersteun.
Ek voer aan dat die oorweldigende aantal negatiewe response van onderwysers
verband hou met kontekstuele beperkings en die gedekontekstualiseerde, eksternontwikkelde
beleidsdokumente. Die veranderinge wat ekstern afgedwing is en wat onderwysers se waardes en plaaslike kontekste geïgnoreer het, speel volgens my ook
'n belangrike rol. Verder stel ek dit dat onderwysers op alle vlakke by die beplanning
van veranderingsprosesse betrek moet word. Daarby word beleidsontwikkeling en
aktiwiteite rondom indiensopleiding ingesluit sodat onderwysers nie slegs ingelig
word nie, maar ook deel vorm van die proses.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52477 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Reddy, Christopher Paul Samuel |
| Contributors | Schreuder, D.R., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 229 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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