Thesis (PhD (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was designed to explore affordances and constraints to teacher learning as workplace
learning during a time of change as initiated by the Index for Inclusion process. In particular the study
investigated features on the macro-social and macro-educational level that impact on teacher learning
in the workplace and the affordances and constraints to teacher learning that could be identified on the
institutional-community plane as the pivotal plane of analysis for this study. It also explored features
on the personal plane that impact teacher learning in the workplace. The theoretical framework of
cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) provided a broad platform from which to engage with the
study. In particular, the work of Engeström, as a contemporary contributor in the field of CHAT,
informed this study. The investigation into teacher learning in the workplace during a time of change
was designed as a critical ethnographic study and was conducted in a primary school in a
disadvantaged community in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. A qualitative methodology
was employed. The study allowed for a critical in-depth analysis of affordances and constraints to
teacher learning in the workplace by making use of an abductive process of data analysis and
presentation, which implies a movement between an inductive and deductive process of knowledge
creation.
The data was presented in broad themes, an ethnographic narrative using the triangular structure of
activity as developed by Engeström, and in pen sketches depicting the learning trajectories of two
teachers. The data revealed that the Index for Inclusion employed as tool of change in this study did
indeed allow for teacher learning for inclusion in the workplace. It raised awareness of inclusive
education, contributed to a shared language for inclusion in the school and created the platform for
teachers to engage with own attitudes and practices in a safe and supportive environment. Certain
teachers attested to significant learning gains. However, the study also highlighted how a school could
act as a restrictive environment for teacher learning and the complex processes involved in changing
such an environment to become more expansive in support of teacher learning for inclusion. Several
factors acted as severe constraints to teacher learning. On the macro-social level, poverty and the
consequences of apartheid in South Africa acted as significant constraints to expansive teacher
learning. With regard to the macro-educational level, teachers struggled with innovation overload and
the absence of meaningful training and support for change that negatively affected their morale,
motivation and self-efficacy. On the institutional level the leadership approach in the school proved
particularly detrimental to expansive teacher learning. Teacher cognition, attitude and emotion also
constrained their own engagement with the learning opportunity afforded by the Index for Inclusion
process in the school. The students were not allowed a platform for their voices to be heard.
Furthermore, neither their parents nor the community was invited into collaborative partnerships with
the staff. On the personal level the study engaged with the possibility that individual teachers could
gradually bring the necessary changes into the school on the grounds of their own positive learning
experience through the Index for Inclusion process. The hope for change in the school was thus
embodied in individual teachers’ agency, energy and incentive to work towards sustaining the progress
that had been made by means of the Index for Inclusion process in the school.
Keywords: teacher learning, workplace learning, inclusive education, Index for Inclusion, culturalhistorical
activity theory (CHAT). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie is ontwerp om ondersoek in te stel na die eienskappe van ʼn skoolomgewing wat
onderwyser-leer in die werkplek moontlik maak in ʼn tyd van verandering soos deur die Index for
Inclusion-proses geïnisieer, asook na die beperkinge binne dié omgewing (Engels: ‘affordances and
constraints’). Daar is in die besonder ondersoek ingestel na die eienskappe op die makro-sosiale en
makro-onderwysvlak wat onderwyser-leer in die werkplek beïnvloed, na die geleenthede en
beperkinge vir onderwyser-leer wat op die institusioneel-gemeenskapsvlak as die kritieke vlak van
analise vir hierdie studie geïdentifiseer kon word, asook na eienskappe op die persoonlike vlak wat ʼn
invloed het op onderwyser-leer in die werkplek. Die teoretiese raamwerk van die kultureel-historiese
aktiwiteitsteorie (Engels: ‘cultural-historical activity theory’ oftewel CHAT) het ʼn breë platform
gebied vanwaar daar met die studie omgegaan kon word. Die werk van Engeström, as ʼn kontemporêre
bydraer op die gebied van CHAT, het veral die studie gerig. Die ondersoek na onderwyser-leer in die
werkplek in ʼn tyd van verandering is as ʼn kritiese etnografiese studie ontwerp en is in ʼn laerskool in ʼn
benadeelde gemeenskap in die Wes-Kaap Provinsie van Suid-Afrika uitgevoer. ’n Kwalitatiewe
metodologie is gebruik. ʼn Kritiese diepte-ontleding is gedoen van geleenthede en beperkinge vir
onderwyser-leer in die werkplek deur ʼn abduktiewe proses van data-analise en -aanbieding, wat ʼn
beweging tussen ʼn induktiewe en deduktiewe proses van kennisskepping impliseer.
Die data is op drieërlei wyse aangebied: in breë temas en patrone; as ʼn etnografiese narratief wat
Engeström se driehoekstruktuur van aktiwiteit gebruik; en in die vorm van pensketse wat die
leertrajekte van twee onderwysers uitbeeld. Die data het aangetoon dat die Index for Inclusion wat as
instrument vir verandering in hierdie studie aangewend is, wel onderwyser-leer vir insluiting in die
werkplek tot gevolg gehad het. Dit het ʼn bewustheid rakende inklusiewe onderwys verhoog, die
onderwysers is blootgestel aan die terminologie van inklusiewe onderwys en ʼn veilige en
ondersteunende omgewing is geskep waarin onderwysers aandag kon gee aan hulle eie gesindhede en
praktyke. Sekere onderwysers het van betekenisvolle leerwinste getuig. Die studie het egter ook
duidelik gewys hoe ʼn skool ʼn beperkende omgewing kan wees vir onderwyser-leer en vir die
komplekse prosesse wat betrokke is by die verandering van so ʼn omgewing om dit meer omvattend te
laat word ter ondersteuning van onderwyser-leer vir insluiting. Verskeie faktore het onderwyser-leer
erg beperk. Op die makro-sosiale vlak het armoede en die gevolge van apartheid in Suid-Afrika die
onderwyser-leer beduidend beperk. Op die makro-onderwysvlak het onderwysers weens innovasieoorlading
probleme ervaar. Die afwesigheid van betekenisvolle opleiding en ondersteuning vir
verandering het ook ʼn negatiewe uitwerking op hul moraal, motivering en selfwerksaamheid gehad.
Op die institusionele vlak het die leierskapsbenadering besonder nadelig geblyk te wees vir
uitgebreide onderwyser-leer. Onderwyserkognisie, -houding en -emosie het ook daartoe bygedra om
hul eie betrokkenheid by die leergeleentheid wat deur die Index for Inclusion-proses gebied is, te
beperk. Die studente is nie ʼn ruimte toegelaat waar hulle stemme gehoor kon word nie en nóg hul
ouers nóg die gemeenskap is uitgenooi om deel te hê aan kollaboratiewe vennootskappe met die
personeel. Op persoonlike vlak het die studie die moontlikheid ondersoek dat individuele onderwysers
op grond van hul eie positiewe leerervaring tydens die Index for Inclusion-proses geleidelik die nodige
veranderinge in die skool invoer. Deur individuele onderwysers se toedoen, energie en aansporing bly
die hoop bestaan dat die goeie werk wat deur die Index for Inclusion-proses in die skool bereik is,
volhou sal word.
Sleutelwoorde: onderwyser-leer, leer in die werksplek, inklusiewe onderwys, ‘Index for Inclusion’,
kultureel-historiese aktiwiteitsteorie.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/1293 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Oswald, Marietjie M. |
| Contributors | Engelbrecht, P., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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