D.Ed. (Didactic Education) / The school, society (from a cultural perspective) and the tension between forces of commonality and diversity form the theme of this thesis. The problem ofthis research revolves around the question of how the tension between commonality and diversity manifests itself in the school. The aims of the research are as follows: to identify elements which seek commonality and create diversity, which in the cultural context lead to tension in the community; to describe the way in which this tension manifests itself in the school; and to summarise the universal reaction of the school to this tension in categories which may serve as a model according to which the school can be studied. The results are as follows: a full array of elements through the ages could be identified which, because ofchange in the community, caused (causes) tension between commonality and diversity; commonality seeking or diversity creating tendencies influence the school as an instrument of enculturation; the school (of all times) then gives expression to this tension between commonality and diversity by means of dimensions which display specific universal features; these universal features are classifiedanddescribedin four categories: change takes place in the school because ofchange in the community; change gives expression to structuring in the school according to form and content; this takes place to create equilibrium in accordance with tendencies in the community in a situation of tension; and equilibrium is necessary to avert conflict; the four categories arc also interrelated in an equilibrium seeking and conflict averting manner - presumably optimum efficiency AND effectiveness can be reached when the school succeeds in maintaining a balance in the categorial structure; and to be able to do this, the probable option for the school is not an "eitheror" one, but an "and-and" choice - this means that the school should be structured because of changes in the community, in such a manner that it maintains equilibrium between commonality and diversity and simultaneously averts conflict. Finally the categories ofthe reaction ofthe school to the tensions betweencommonality and diversity are described from a South African perspective, in orderto ponray how the South African school adapted to change, how schools arc structured, how the school strives towards equilibrium and how it handles conflict. It again becomes clear that in the South African situation only one school model does not contribute to averting conflict in its equilibrium seeking role. Therefore, a multiple-model approach to both commonality seeking and diversity creating needs of the community, seems probably to be the most desirable option for schools to fulfill their mission.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:4479 |
| Date | 25 March 2014 |
| Creators | Van Loggerenberg, Maria Catharina |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Johannesburg |
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