This research was based on the question of how Foundation Phase teachers perceived and experienced their professional development. This study was done at a school in the Northern Areas of Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa. The school is situated in a developing community that has a low socio-economic status characterised by infrastructural challenges. The school is newly established and started the year 2012 with mostly newly qualified teachers. In this study, the researcher wanted to know how the participants’ perceptions and experiences as teachers impact on their professional development. The review of relevant literature provided a conceptual framework for the study. This study explored the fact that a social constructivist theory is relevant for the professional development of foundation phase teachers. This theory is based on the fact that teachers construct their own knowledge and that more emphasis should be placed on theory within teachers’ practice. A qualitative research approach was suitable for this study. The data for the study was obtained by using photovoice and focus group interviews. The most important theme that emerged from the data collection was that the physical environment of the school and the surrounding area played a major role in how the teachers experienced their development. Other themes that emerged from the study were the need for educational resources, teacher collaboration and leadership. The findings show that more emphasis should be placed on the professional development of Foundation Phase teachers. Schools in poverty stricken areas of South Africa have an impact on how teachers experience their professional development. It has become clear that places of higher education need to consider the contexts in which schools are situated, especially in poverty stricken areas. Foundation Phase teachers are a vital part of education and as such the training of teachers in this phase should develop around whole-person learning within a life-long learning framework.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nmmu/vital:9448 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Gallant, Reinhold Justin |
| Publisher | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Faculty of Education |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Masters, MEd |
| Format | xiii, 140 leaves, pdf |
| Rights | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University |
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