Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the lived experiences of primary school teachers within a culture of
performativity. The French philosopher, Jean-Francois Lyotard (1984) more than anyone else
gave credence to the notion of ‘performativity’ in education which he used to represent
political and bureaucratic mechanisms of control. Embedded in regulatory mechanisms there
are performance indicators such as ‘monitoring systems’ with associated ‘production of
information’, that according to Ball (2003) engenders the ‘terrors of performativity’. To conform
to the regulatory mechanisms the performativity culture in schools, pressure is increasingly
placed on teachers to demonstrate their accountability to education authorities for the
responsibilities delegated to them.
The literature review does not only seeks to give meaning to key terms and concepts relevant
to the study, but also aims to define the operational. Relevant terms included: accountability,
professionalism, performance and performativity. In the discussion it is shown that there is a
close underlying relationship between performativity and performance, between performativity
and accountability, and between performativity and professionalism.
In order to answer the main research question and to align logically to the purpose of the
study, the researcher conducted a qualitative research study within the interpretative research
paradigm. The study was guided by the phenomenological research approach – and more
specifically by the hermeneutical-phenomenological research method of Max van Manen
(1990). Two data collection methods were employed: protocol narratives (descriptions of lived
experiences) and in-depth semi-structured phenomenological interviews. In this study a
thematic analytical approach was followed whereby the researcher identified emerging
themes from the collected data. Different steps were taken to increase the internal validity of
the study and to give attention to the ethical aspects that emerged during the investigation.
In this study it is evident that performativity, with its emphasis on effectiveness, efficiency and
quality, is currently the most powerful and pervasive discourse in education. The description of
the results shows that teachers tend to be swallowed up by the demands of performativity –
so much so that teachers are overwhelmed by the ‘terrors of performativity’. Teachers’
‘escape’ from the ‘imprisonment’ of performativity is not only associated with distorted side
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viii
effects, but there are also physiological and emotional processes that teachers are confronted
with in their attempts conform to the regulatory systems. The study found that the undesirable
side effects of performativity serve and a push factor for the early exit of teachers from the
profession. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie fokus op die geleefde ervarings van primêre skoolonderwysers binne ‘n kultuur
van performatiwiteit. Die Franse filosoof, Jean-Francois Lyotard (1984) wat meer as enigeen
die betekenis van performatiwiteit in die onderwys blootgelê het, gebruik die nosie van
‘performatiwiteit’ om politieke en burokratiese meganismes van beheer voor te stel. Ingebed in
die regulerende meganismes is daar prestasie-aanduiders soos onder andere
‘moniteringsisteme’ met gepaardgaande ‘produksie van inligting’, wat volgens Stephen Ball
(2003) aanleiding gee tot die ‘terreurs van performatiwiteit’. Ten einde te konformeer tot die
regulerende meganismes is daar binne die performatiewe klimaat in die skool toenemende
druk op onderwysers om te demonstreer dat hulle toerekenbaar is aan die onderwysowerhede
vir die verantwoordelikhede wat aan hulle opgedra is.
In die lieratuuroorsig is nie net ‘n oorsig gegee van die betekenisse van kernterme en –
konsepte wat relevant tot hierdie studie is nie, maar ook is gepoog om dit operatief te
definieer. Relevante begrippe is onder andere toerekenbaarheid, professionalisme, prestasie
en performatiwiteit. In die bespreking is aangetoon dat daar ‘n noue onderlinge verband
tussen performatiwiteit en prestasie, tussen performatiwiteit en toerekenbaarheid, en tussen
performatiwiteit en professionalisme bestaan.
Om die sentrale navorsingsvraag te beantwoord en logies met die doel van die studie in te
skakel, het die navorser ‘n kwalitatiewe navorsingstudie uit die interpretiwistiese
navorsingsparadigma onderneem. Die fenomenologiese navorsingsbenadering – en meer
spesifiek, die hermeneuties-fenomenologiese navorsingsmetode van Max van Manen (1990)
het hierdie studie gerig. Daar is gebruik gemaak van twee data-insamelingsmetodes, te wete
protokol skryfwerk (geleefde ervarings-beskrywings) en semi-gestruktureerde in-diepte
fenomenologiese onderhoude. In hierdie studie is ‘n tematiese analitiese benadering gevolg
deurdat die navorser die ontluikende temas in die ingesamelde data geïdentifiseer het.
Verskillende stappe is gedoen om veral die interne geldigheid van die studie te verhoog en
aandag te gee aan etiese aspekte wat tydens die ondersoek na vore gekom het.
Uit hierdie studie blyk dit dat performatiwiteit, met sy klem op effektiwiteit, doeltreffendheid en
kwaliteit, huidiglik die mees magtigste en deurdringende diskoers in die onderwys is. Uit die
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vi
beskrywing van die resultate is dit duidelik dat onderwysers neig om deur die eise van
performatiwiteit verswelg te raak – soveel so dat onderwyser oorweldig word deur die ‘terreurs
van performatiwiteit’. Onderwysers se ‘ontsnapping’ uit die ‘gevangenskap’ van
performatiwiteit gaan nie net gepaard met bepaalde verwronge opvoedkundige newe-effekte
nie, maar ook is daar die fisiologiese en emosionele prosesse wat onderwysers moet verduur
in hul pogings om tot die regulerende stelsels te konformeer. In die studie is bevind dat die
ongewenste newe-effekte van performatiwiteit dien as stootfaktore wat onderwysers beweeg
om die onderwys vroeg te laat verlaat.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/96995 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Van Wyk, Milton Lester |
| Contributors | Le Grange, L. L. L., Carl, A. E., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | Afrikaans |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 385 pages |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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