Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was contextualised in the broad process of change and transformation in
education in South Africa In this study I investigate how SWAP (Schools Water
Project) as a resource could possibly enable teachers to use the local environment as
a means of promoting environmental learning in their classes: a professional
development process for teachers. The purpose of this study is to understand and
give meaning to the processes of professional development that might be made
possible through using SWAP as suggestion materials for teaching about water quality
issues in a local water source close to schools. This process was framed in my
research question, "could an in-service process using SWAP as learning support
material enable professional development in teachers working at rivers in a local
environment?" It is organised as a number of delimited or bounded case studies within
an interpretive paradigm. In this study the bounded systems are primary schools
represented by a selection of teachers from the participating schools. The research
process involved a short period of training for teachers to familiarise themselves with
the resource, a supported field trip to provide an opportunity for hands on application
and follow-up support visits to assist teachers with field trips and implementation of
SWAP activities in their classroom practice.
Data was generated at various stages and suggests that materials are an important
facet of professional development and the SWAP materials proved to be a useful tool in this regard as evidenced through the development of new skills, acquisition of new
knowledge and new ways of teaching. Issues that emerged were that in-service
processes need to be organised over long periods of time and support is needed at
school level to ensure meaningful implementation of curriculum innovations. An
important insight developed is that professional development processes in schools
occur in complex systems and are thus influenced by many factors that either support
or hinder the process. These factors need to be recognised as impacting factors and
taken into account during such processes so that they can benefit the process
maximally and not hinder initiatives. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is globaal geraam binne die transformasie proses in onderwys in Suid
Afrika, met die fokus op die nuutgevonde belangrikheid van omgewingsopvoeding in
die hersiene Kurriulum 2005. Die studie fokus op hoe "n
waterkwaliteitmoniteringstoetsstel (SWAP) moontlik kan bydra tot leerkragte se gebruik
van die onmiddelike omgewing om omgewingsopvoeding in die klaskamer te
bevorder; "n professionele ontwikkelingsproses vir leerkragte. Die doel van die studie
is om die prosesse betrokke by die professionele ontwikkeling van leerkragte te
verstaan, verklaar en daaraan betekenis te verleen. In die geval is die prosesse
gekataliseer en ondersteun deur SWAP materiaal te gebruik om onderrig te gee oor
waterkwaliteitknelpunte wat dalk bestaan rondom "n varswaterbron naby die skool.
Hierdie proses word gestel in die navorsingsvraag: kan "n indiensopleidingsprogram
wat SWAP as leerondersteuningsmateriaal aanwend bydra tot die professionele
ontwikkeling van leerkragte om hulle onmiddelike omgewing as "n onderrigmiddel te
gebruik? Verder, hoe verloop hierdie proses en wat verhinder of ondersteun die
proses? Wat is die invloede op die leerkragte wat professionele ontwikkeling
ondersteun of verhinder?
Die navorsing is georganiseer in die vorm van 5 gevallestudies binne "n
interpretivistiese navorsingsraamwerk. Die navorsingsproses het 'n kort werkswinkel
vir leerkragte, "n uitstappie na hul naaste rivier waar hulle die toetse gedoen het en "n
kritiese refleksie daarna, ingesluit. Die leerkragte is verder bygestaan deur opvolgbesoeke waar die fasiliteerder hul bygestaan het op uitstappies na die rivier en
klasbesprekings.
Data is gegenereer tydens verskeie stadiums van die proses en wys dat SWAP
materiaal "n baie goeie ondersteuning was vir die ontwikkeling van nuwe vaardighede,
die verkryging van nuwe kennis en die gebruik en ontwikkeling van nuwe strategiee in
die klaskamer.
Om sinvolle implementering van kurrikulum innovasies te verseker het ek gevind dat
sulke professionele ontwikkelings projekte oor langer periodes geimplementeer moet
word en dat gekonsentreerde ondersteuning by die skool nodig is om te verseker dat
die indiensopleiding optimaalondersteun word.
'n Baie belangrike bevinding was dat die professionele ontwikkelingsproses plaas vind
midde in die komplekse sisteem van 'n skool wat deur "n groot aantal faktore beinvloed
word, beide ondersteunend of afbrekend. Hierdie faktore/invloede moet erken en in ag
geneem word as beinvloedende faktore sodat die proses in leerkragte maksimaal kan
gefasiliteer word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50429 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | De Vries, Heleen |
| Contributors | Reddy, C. P. S., 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 | xvi, 209 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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