The study was undertaken because of the need to understand the impact of mentoring
novice Science teachers within the Gauteng Province. The study was conducted within
the Gauteng Province, because there have been many debates and concerns on the
need to come up with ways of improving the comprehension of science in secondary
schools in the Gauteng Province. The purpose of this study therefore was to understand
the effects and impact of mentoring novice natural science teachers within the Gauteng
Province. The study therefore, utilised qualitative research approach and this was
motivated by the need to understand the perceptions and experiences of the research
participants. Furthermore, purposive sampling was utilised as the sampling method
where the novice science teachers and relevant teachers were selected to be part of the
sample. Through the use of the semi-structured interview as the data collection method,
it was discovered that mentoring of novice teachers refers to the method of empowering
new teachers to be effective in their work-related tasks to become true professionals in
the academic profession. The study concluded that there are a number of mentoring
initiatives and mechanisms utilised to assist novice teachers. Amongst these
programmes training, skills development and technical support to enhance
communication skills and manage the curriculum are underscored. The study concludes
that mentoring of novice teachers is important within the Gauteng Province for it raises
awareness, leads to expert Science teachers equipped with a wide range of skills to
achieve the best results within the classroom. It also capacitates the novice teacher on
how to handle laboratory equipment and chemicals to benefit learners. The study also
gathered that mentoring has a direct impact on novice Science teachers. It leads to the
creation of an effective and excellent teaching environment, results in higher levels of
teacher retention and improves teachers’ service delivery. It also strengthens the
emotional and psychological well-being of teachers. The study therefore, recommended
that there is need for training and development and a budget allocated towards
enhancing the mentoring of novice Science teachers. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Science and Technology Education)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/26458 |
| Date | 12 September 2019 |
| Creators | Mhlaba, Rabela Esther |
| Contributors | Rankhumise, M. P. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | 1 online resource (vii, 91 leaves) : illustrations (chiefly color), application/pdf |
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