Doctoral Degrees (Curriculum Studies)

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Academic development : bridging at a South African University
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1999-12) Troskie-de Bruin, Christel; Botha, H. L.; Cilliers, C. D.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study two of the academic development initiatives of the University of Stellenbosch, namely the Gencor Bridging Programme (GBP) and the foundation programme (FP) were investigated. The GBP is a four-week bridging programme that is held annually during January, before the start of the academic year. The main purpose of this programme is to channel students into appropriate programmes. The FP forms part of the extended curriculum. Students who participate in the FP follow a programme that is extended over a longer period and provides additional support modules during the first year. A two-pronged research approach was followed, which consisted of both a quantitative and qualitative investigation. The purpose of the quantitative research was to investigate the influence of the GBP and FP on students' academic performance and persistence. A control group of mainstream students with a cultural and educational background similar to that of the GBP and/or FP participants was used during the quantitative investigation. The aim of the qualitative investigation was to establish how the GBP and FP are perceived by the students and to identify some of the factors that influence student performance both positively and negatively. The main findings of the quantitative research were that there was no consistent pattern in the fluctuation in students' academic performance at different year levels, and that the influence of the GBP and FP on students' persistence seemed to be positive during the first year, but the long-term influence on student performance could not be established with certainty. The main findings of the qualitative investigation were that students perceived both the GBP and the FP to be of greater social than academic value, and that students relied mainly on peers from their own cultural group for academic and emotional support.
Academic literacy practices of African-language-speaking, first-year Private Law students at a multilingual university
(2020-02-26) Kese, Pamela Phumla; Van der Walt, Christa
Acquiring academic literacy : a case of first-year extended degree programme students at Stellenbosch University
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2008-03) Van Schalkwyk, Susan C.; Bitzer, E. M.; Van der Walt, C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
In this study the experiences of a group of first-year Extended Degree Programme (EDP) students were explored in order to obtain insight into their acquisition of academic literacy. The study was undertaken against the backdrop of a higher education sector that is facing an increasing influx of first-year students on the one hand, and poor retention rates on the other. In South Africa, where the opening up of access to higher education for all citizens has become a political imperative, the need to address the undesirable dropout rate is self-evident. Students’ poor performance at university is often linked to their under-preparedness for higher education studies, and an important aspect of such under-preparedness is their academic literacy. In this context academic literacy is seen as knowing how to speak and act within a particular discourse, and the reading and writing that occur within the discipline as tools through which to facilitate learning. While some students acquire academic literacy by virtue of their participation in the discourse community of the relevant discipline, this is not always so for students who are less prepared for higher education studies. In response to the disconcerting retention rates, higher education institutions have implemented academic support programmes to address the needs of students who enter university with poor school results. One such intervention at Stellenbosch University is the Extended Degree Programme in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, which makes provision for students to extend their first academic year over two years. Since 2006 EDP students have also been required to register for an academic literacy module and it is this group that comprises the focus of this study. Using a case study design, this qualitative, interpretive inquiry was characterized by multiple data collection methods. In this way qualitative data that pointed to the perceptions of the students and some of the lecturers who taught the EDP classes were generated via semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, observation and content analysis. In addition, descriptive quantitative data was collected and this further contributed to generating the rich, in-depth data that characterize case study research. The analysis of the data was undertaken according to a three-tiered approach, in which the results of the empirical inquiry were first analysed per data source and then themes and trends across all the data sources were identified. Ultimately, these findings were interpreted according to an explanatory framework. The study highlights a number of important issues, key of which is that providing an academic literacy module for under-prepared students can facilitate the acquisition of academic literacy, particularly when such provision seeks to support the different discipline-based mainstream modules. Another important finding of the study emphasizes the extent to which institutional factors, such as increased student numbers, have placed pressure on university infrastructure and human resources. The impact of this situation filters down to the first-year classroom and negatively influences student learning. Finally, the results of the study question prevailing notions about under-prepared students as all of the students in the study, irrespective of their backgrounds and levels of sophistication, attested to the significant challenges that entry into the academic community posed for them. The findings of this study, while specific to the context in which it was undertaken, contribute to the growing body of knowledge in the field of academic development within higher education and the role of academic literacy in student learning.
An analysis of learning characteristics, processes, and representations in mathematical modelling of middle school learners with special educational needs
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014-12) Scott-Wilson, Rina; Wessels, Dirk C. J.; Wessels, H. M.; Swart, Estelle; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The special needs community is in the midst of a philosophical and physical shift from a segregated system to an integrated system, not only in placement, but more importantly, in terms of learning and affording learners with special needs access to mainstream curricular materials. Mathematical modelling, or challenging mathematics problems solved in small groups, is part of the Australian mainstream curriculum. The purpose of the study was to investigate the way special needs learners learn mathematics from a modelling learning environment. To do this, it was necessary to identify the critical characteristics of the best practice in teaching and learning for learners with special needs, and the critical features of modelling. One theory of learning that has the capacity to promote special needs learners' interaction with mathematical modelling is Feuerstein’s theory of Structural Cognitive Modifiability. A hypothetical learning trajectory was designed for special needs learners at middle school according to general design principles from theory, which was adapted to the learning characteristics of the class. The learning environment comprised of three challenging modelling tasks, together with recommended implementation and support conditions in the classroom. Specifically, the research sought to investigate the ways in which special needs educators can support the higher reasoning processes of special needs students during modelling through design in general, and through mediation specific to each learner. The research took the form of a qualitative study, combining the phases of design-based research with a multiple case study approach. Three cases were analysed in depth. Empirical data were collected through a range of qualitative methods, which included data from student files, field observations, video and audio recordings, focus group interviews with students, and the input of various collaborators across the different phases of planning, design, implementation, and revision. Data were coded and analysed inductively according to emerging patterns and themes. Findings suggest that the use of modelling was successful when implemented with certain characteristics defined in the literature, and that it enabled learners to learn mathematics and also to develop additional outcomes such as social skills and language. During this study, learners' higher-order reasoning was supported through dynamic assessment and subsequent mediation.
Arts and culture teachers' experiences of and responses to curriculum change
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012-12) Lombard, Jeffrey J.; Reddy, C. P. S.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The provision of quality education for all South African learners has been an issue of central concern since the advent of the democratic dispensation in 1994. One initiative since 1998 was the implementation of a new curriculum for South African public schools, C2005 as it was then called. This curriculum was later revised and streamlined as the NCS. There was a mixed reception to this new curriculum. Some perceived it as a progressive initiative by the Ministry of Education, while others argued that it was ambitious and that it undermined the conditions and context of South African schools. Essentially the curriculum policy implementation was intended to change the entire system and introduce new ways of doing in all sectors of education. This links strongly to processes of systemic change and that is the considered policy backdrop to this research. In this study I work from an interpretive perspective and draw on the cognitive sense-making framework to develop in-depth, understanding of teachers’ roles as interpreters and enactors of education policy change in South Africa related to the implementation of the NCS. More specifically, the study examines the ways in which six Arts and Culture school teachers in six diverse South African educational contexts experienced and responded to the implementation of the NCS. Data from the study indicates that teachers found it difficult to adjust to the more complex and demanding teaching methodologies, which took up a great deal of time and required very different roles in the classrooms. Data from the study also suggests that the way teachers come to understand and enact policy or reform initiatives is influenced by their prior knowledge, the social context within which they work, and the nature of their connections to the policy or reform message. The study further suggests that teachers adapt a curriculum rather than adopt it as it is, and that their prior understandings and beliefs about knowledge, beliefs and experiences combined with their contexts in which they work frame their classroom practices explaining why policy is not enacted as intended. Conceptualising the problem of policy implementation in this way focuses attention on how implementing agents construct the meaning of a policy message and their own behaviour, and how this process leads, or does not lead, to a change in how they view their own practice, potentially leading to changes in both understanding and behaviour.
Assessering-vir-leer in geografie-klasse in die verder-onderwys-en opleidingsbaan
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2007-12) Beets, Peter; Le Grange, L. L.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to develop a nuanced perspective of the nature of assessment practices in Geography teaching and the extent to which such practices are aimed at promoting learning, in agreement with policy changes that underpin a shift from a behaviourist to a more social-constructivist teaching and learning approach. I developed this perspective through taking cognisance of the literature on educational assessment and my experience as a Geography teacher, as well as through my observation and experiences with regard to the assessment practices prevalent in Grade 10 Geography classes. The study focused on practices in assessment for learning in high schools in and around Stellenbosch in order to analyse and understand the actions of and interaction between the various role players in the educational activities that take place in differing contexts. This was done from within an interpretative research paradigm. The research confirms that the process of implementing curriculum renewal is highly complex and that it is co-determined by factors that operate both within the microcontext (the classroom, the school) and the macro-context (nationally, globally). The aforementioned complexity is further increased by the ongoing interaction between the contexts. The latter was illustrated clearly in the course of the research through a strongly conservative approach to assessment practices that is typical of an assessment-of learning regime on the one hand and pressure to comply with policy and career expectations on the other - without properly considering the possible implications for assessment for learning. The study argues that the grounding of teaching, assessment and learning practices in productive pedagogies and the corresponding policy making and in-service training of teachers could direct the focus on assessment for learning in support of quality teaching and learning in Geography classes in high schools.
An assessment of climate change science literacy and climate change pedagogical literacy of geography teachers in the Western Cape
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-04) Anyanwu, Raymond Ndubisi; Beets, Peter; Le Grange, Lesley; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This survey research employed a criterion-referenced multiple-choice questionnaire to collect data from 194 FET Geography teachers in the Western Cape province to assess their level of literacy in both climate change science and climate change pedagogy, and to determine the influence of gender, age, qualification, specialisation, experience, grade mostly taught, their experience in providing instruction on climate change and the location of their school. Aspects of climate change science assessed include: climate processes and probable causes of climate change; climate change impacts; and climate change responses. Aspects of climate change pedagogy assessed include: the aims and significance of climate change education; and constructivist teaching principles and practice. The collected data was analysed using percentage frequencies to determine the teachers‟ level of literacy in climate change science and climate change pedagogy; the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to determine the influence of the mediating variables on climate change science literacy and climate change pedagogical literacy, respectively. The results indicate that Geography teachers in the Western Cape Province demonstrated „High‟ literacy in climate change science and „Low‟ literacy in climate change pedagogy. Factors such as school location, gender, age and teaching experience were found to have a significant influence on climate change science literacy; whereas qualification, specialisation, grade mostly taught and experience in providing instruction on climate change did not. Conversely, teaching experience and grade mostly taught had a significant influence on climate change pedagogical literacy; whereas school location, gender, age, qualification, specialisation and experience in providing instruction on climate change did not. Based on these findings, it is recommended that professional development interventions in climate change pedagogy are required in order to expose Geography teachers to the aims and significance of climate change education and methods of facilitating problem-based, learner-centred instruction on climate change.
Die bevordering van lees met behulp van media-onderrigstrategiee vir Afrikaans (graad 7) : 'n gevallestudie
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2004-03) Le Cordeur, Michael ; Menkveld, H.; Ridge, E.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study involves a qualitative and quantitative investigation into the promotion of reading by means media reading instructional strategies to Afrikaans grade 7 learners at one school. The research methodology used is a case study supported by a literature study. The aim of this study is five-fold. Firstly, based on the literature study, the study sets out to establish a theoretical framework for reading at school. This is related to three problem areas: poor reading comprehension, limited fluency in reading, and a negative attitude to reading. Underlying assumptions are that reading problems occur even in learners with above-average intellectual ability and that many learners cannot function optimally in society because they are poor readers. Instructional models and different approaches to teaching reading are explored. This study questions the efficacy of traditional approaches to reading instruction and makes a strong case for a balanced approach in which both topdown and bottom-up approaches are integrated in an interactive approach. Secondly, drawing on the literature survey the study provides a theoretical framework for using the media and technology in developing and improving reading. The role of visual literacy in the development of reading is also examined. It seems that learners have a strong interest in the media as well as technological aids so educators who have access to these should use them in the classroom. Thirdly, the study sets out to design media reading instructional strategies based on learners' interest in mass media, as well as technological aids. This is so that learners can be empowered with strategies that will enable them to successfully address their reading problems. The use of media reading instructional strategies is applied as an alternative to the traditional approach to reading instruction. The case study explores the use of media reading instructional strategies developed for grade 7 learners studying Afrikaans as a primary language and the extent to which this is successful. The learners are exposed to an instructional reading programme consisting of media reading strategies (designed by the researcher) for a period of 16 weeks. Data generation comprises individual diagnostic reading tests for learners, interviews with educators and learners and questionnaires administered to educators and learners. The literature study provides evidence that poor readers do not necessarily lack the intellectual ability to make sense of what they read or to read independently. Results from the case study support the findings that these learners have the ability to learn a variety of reading strategies which help them to apply the reading skills that enable them to read successfully. Although the learners in the experimental group still experienced problems with comprehension, they had made significant gains in reading fluency and developed a more positive attitude towards reading. The main conclusion is that interactive media reading instructional activities can make a meaningful contribution to learners with reading problems. According to the findings of this study, learners are more likely to read successfully and follow a successful academic career if their problems are diagnosed early and they receive the necessary help and support.
Coaching foundation phase literacy teachers as leaders in a school in the Western Cape Province : a professional development strategy
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012-12) Rutgers, Linda; Carl, A. E.; Van der Walt, C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African education system needs literacy teachers with the capacity to lead innovative and appropriate literacy instruction in schools. Schools can benefit from suitable continuous professional development strategies that have the potential to build the leadership capacity of literacy teachers to sustain literacy improvement efforts. Coaching has proven to be an effective development strategy in the business sector and in the field of sport. However, the field of coaching in the educational context is under-explored in research in South Africa. Coaching is a situated practice, which is aimed at the learning and development of individuals within a specific context. Coaching is an on-going professional development strategy for teachers and leaders as opposed to traditional one-shot professional development activities such as workshops or training sessions. There is a need for evidence-based research on alternative professional development strategies, such as coaching. In this research study the researcher argued that coaching has the potential to provide a more effective and sustainable capacity-building strategy for the continuous professional development of teacher leaders. It argued further that the recognition of their own capacity as teacher leaders can empower teachers to take ownership of decision-making for on-going literacy improvement in schools. The specific context for coaching in this study was the professional development of literacy teachers as leaders for the improvement of literacy teaching and learning. In the absence of a suitable coaching model, the Integrated Capacity Coaching model and a coaching programme were purposefully designed by the researcher for the development of literacy teachers as leaders in this study. Cognitive coaching, peer coaching and coaching circles were incorporated as coaching methods in the coaching programme. This study was designed to determine what can be learnt from using coaching as a professional development strategy within the formal structures of the school and its current constraints. Findings from the data indicated a number of positive learning insights about coaching as a continuous professional development strategy to build internal leadership capacity for literacy improvement in schools. This study is significant because the outcome of the study extended the existing body of knowledge and evidence-based research on coaching in the educational context. The implementation of these findings could lead to improvements in the nature and characteristics of future continuous professional development of literacy teachers as leaders to sustain literacy improvement in schools. The proposed model shows potential as a capacity-building coaching model for the education sector, but further research is needed to determine the impact of this coaching model and the coaching approach in different school contexts.
Community engagement at a higher education institution - exploring a theoretical grounding for scholarly-based service-related process
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010-12) Smith-Tolken, Antoinette Rachèlle; Bitzer, Eli; Newmark, Rona; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Department of Curriculum Studies. Centre for Higher Education
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation is an interpretive analysis of the meanings and understanding of the construct 'service' in its relation to scholarly engagement with external non-academic communities at curricular level. The study links to other studies relating to community engagement in higher education or focusing on internal service to the university community, but it is unique in its theorising of service with and in external non-academic communities. The specific aim of the study was to develop a theoretical framework to view, understand, analyse and evaluate scholarly-related service activities which represent the community component of experiential learning pedagogies. The primary data for the study were generated through unstructured interviews with the four actor groups participating in such activities, namely module coordinators, students, community organisation representatives and community members. Their responses were interpreted, analysed and triangulated through grounded theory methodology. A substantive theory consisting of four interrelated processes, through which these activities take place, was developed culminating in a theoretical framework that integrates the four processes into one coherent process of cyclical interchange of social commodities. In this process there is a reciprocation of scholarly service and community service where the latter represents the service of the community to the university culminating in the interchange of tangible and intangible products that represent the commodities. The co-creation of useful contextual knowledge represents the ultimate outcome of this process through an interchange of tacit, codified and implicit knowledge of professionals and laymen in society. The theoretical framework provides a better understanding of the difference between the relationships with external communities and the actual service actions that take place during scholarly service activities. Within such understanding the framework suggests rethinking of how service activities are planned and integrated in community engagement at curricular level.
Conceptualisation and measurement of the empowerment of workers : an educational perspective
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2000-12) Albertyn, Ruth Meriel; Kapp, C. A.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the era of globalisation, demands for increased productivity and multiple skills present challenges to adult educators in their role of facilitating empowerment in individuals. The proposed link between productivity and empowerment has stimulated interest in the concept by management and there has to be accountability to ensure that the needs of individuals and organisations are balanced. The aim of designing a standardised measuring instrument comprised the first phase of this research. The questionnaire was compiled based on the outcomes of empowerment identified in the literature on three levels (Micro-level, Interface level and Macro-level). After exploratory testing, the summated ratings method was applied in order to reduce and standardise the questionnaire. This instrument was tested for validity and the questionnaire of 61 statements was retained for the experiment. The experiment was conducted in the second phase to measure the effects of an intervention on the empowerment of workers. The questionnaire was applied in the Pre-, Post- and Postpost- test design in eight companies in the Western Cape where the life-skills training programme FREE TO GROW was implemented. Qualitative data collected identified the outcomes of empowerment and also validated the measuring instrument. Statistical procedures applied identified the patterns of empowerment in respondents. The respondents in the experiment were mainly females and the mean age was 33.9 years. The majority were Afrikaans and most classified themselves as part of the Coloured ethnic group. The FREE TO GROW training programme succeeded in achieving the objective of empowerment because it was found that there was a statistically significant improvement in the empowerment status of workers both in the short and long term. Most of the total group was empowered on the Interface level prior to the course and on the Micro-level after the course and in the long term. The males were more empowered on the Macro-level before the course, but had increased sustained Interface-level empowerment. The females benefited most on the Micro-level directly after the course and in the long term. Before the course the Coloured group was more empowered on the Micro-level compared to the whites, but they benefited most on the Interface level directly after the course. The Coloured group and females had statistically significant higher scores on the Interface level in the long term. In terms of the patterns of empowerment, it was found that the Micro-level issues were dominant prior to the course with a greater spread of perception of the other aspects of empowerment over time. Before the course, the respondents tended to react to personal and family issues where no action was needed. They were motivated to achieve their goals and had a desire for control over aspects affecting them. Directly after the course they had a more positive view of life, a sense of personal responsibility, and an ability to cope. They were prepared to take the initiative, were more ambitious and felt confident of their abilities in the workplace. In the long term their experience of empowerment was more balanced and they felt good about themselves, were more assertive, able to think critically and more involved in issues external to themselves. The measuring instrument designed in this study measured the outcomes of empowerment on three levels and helped to identify the patterns that emerged over the course of an intervention. A standardised empowerment questionnaire can increase accountability, assist in balancing the needs of individuals and management, and can provide insights to educationalists seeking to empower adults.
The concurrent development of mathematical modelling and engineering technician competencies of first-year engineering technician students
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-12) De Villiers, Lidamari; Wessels, D. C. J.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT : Mathematics contributes significantly towards engineering education, denoting the prominance of possessing mathematical competence. Motivation for the study originated from observing students’ modest levels of mathematical reasoning and understanding, problem-solving and meta-cognitive abilities. A gap in literature was exposed for enhancing engineering technician students’ competencies to proceed towards successful mathematical thinkers and doers. This study serves to fill this gap, by answering the research question regarding the extent to which engineering technician and mathematical modelling competencies can co-develop, to produce a deeper understanding of mathematics within the context of a mathematical modelling course for first-year engineering technician students who are not strong in mathematics. The study aimed to develop a qualitative and quantitative profile that characterises the design in practice, commanding Design-Based Research methodology. Twelve first-year engineering technician students, volunteered to partake in a mathematical modelling course of one semester. They worked in small groups on model-eliciting activities that required the construction of models to describe, analyse and solve real-world problems. Qualitative data sources included video and audio recordings, observation instruments, informal discussions, students’ written work, and field notes. Analysis was done throughout the experiment. The students revealed improvements in all the competency categories, with the most prominent development occurring in generalising (cognitive) and management (meta-cognitive) competencies. Mathematical ideas and higher-order thinking develop interactively, and the characteristics of being deeply involved in solving model-eliciting activities allowed for the stimulation of reflective activities. Explanations on how the competencies advanced, exposed an intricate web of teacher beliefs, classrooms norms that foster socio-constructivist forms of learning and teaching, and modeleliciting activities designed to develop higher-order understanding. Combined with formative assessment methods to describe the nature of the students’ constructs, a local instructional theory was constructed that explains how mathematical modelling and engineering technician competencies can co-develop through mathematical modelling, and how to support competence development for improved mathematical reasoning and understanding.
A contextual analysis of the implementation of a curriculum at a teacher education institution
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2023-12) Amweenye, Fares Frans; Le Grange, Lesley ; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explored the presence or absence of a constructivist epistemology Namibia adopted to underlie her education system at all levels including teacher education. An epistemology is central in any study programme for it informs the teaching-learning views and actions. Conducted at University of Namibia’s satellite campus, the study sought the meaning and role accorded it in informing English teacher education instruction as well as the grounds established to enable its application. The thesis employed a case study along with the qualitative design entrenched in an interpretative constructivist worldview and engaged an analysis of leading policy texts on education to situate the written position of the epistemology as an underlying theory. To narrow the scope of the study, it embraced interactive semi-structured interviews with eleven senior student teachers and seven teacher educators from an area of English (with an exception) purposely selected to extract their experiences and views pertaining to a constructivist pedagogy centred on their academic involvement with its reception and application. Bernstein’s theory of pedagogical discourse and practice offered a framework for analysing the study’s outcomes.The outcomes of the study revealed an absence of an explicitly defined epistemology and a low status assigned to it in steering the educational practices. Data generated through documentary analysis unearthed incompatibility between basic education and teacher education policy documents, a development that culminated into incongruence, discord and contradiction. Similarly divergence emerged among teacher education programmes in their subscription to the underpinning theoretical framework. Similar revelations were also exposed by interview generated data. At the level of description, the findings indicated an aspiration towards a pedagogical organisation and progression featuring a weak framing over the governing rules concerning the interpersonal social relations of educators and students. The attempts to weakly frame the rules pertaining to selection, sequence and pace also existed. The success on these would have enabled students into the role of active participants with educators acting as facilitators. Contrarily the implementation level signified educators shifting into a dominant position of authority and control into the above rules turning the pedagogy towards teacher-centredness which dislodged students from the centre of the education to the periphery that fostered passivity and further bred the mechanistic view of education. Whilst this could be interpreted as of ensuing educator dominance into this pedagogical encounter they also became disempowered to guarantee instructional perspectives and approaches in line with the expected invisible pedagogy as they lost authority over the regulative rules concerning text, time and evaluative criteria that came to feature the pedagogical practices strongly. The effective and meaningful implementation of the envisioned epistemology became furthermore negatively impacted by the contextual classroom conditions not tuned into the grounds capable of enabling its smooth application.The study recommends a revamp of the epistemology’s current lower position in informing study programmes; an imminent overhaul of the disconnected approach out of which its current state ostensibly originated and the conceited efforts to address constraining structural and contextual factors perceived to impact its clearer meaning and comprehension and effective implementation.
The contribution of mentorship to personal and institutional development at the Westville Campus of the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2006-04) Essack, Shaheeda; Kapp, C. A.; Szell, G.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies
ENGLISH ABSTRACT : The current study is based on the premise that higher education is essentially alienating for most first generation, first year and academically under-prepared university students in higher education. The study further maintains that the experience of alienation can be overcome by implementing a form of peer mentoring system that simultaneously seeks to address personal, social and academic needs. This thesis has five chapters. Chapter One outlined the problem statement in relation to the nature of student experience of higher education and the impact of peer facilitated mentoring on student development, with specific reference to the first year, first generation and academically under-prepared student. An overview of related literature in the area of student experience of higher education and the potential role of peer facilitated mentoring in higher education indicates that peer mentoring serves to give context, meaning, purpose and direction to students, especially to those that are marginalized. Chapter Two provided an extensive account of peer facilitated mentoring in higher education. The chapter began with a critical analysis of the national plan on the restructuring of higher education in South Africa with reference to socio-economic challenges, its impact on the restructuring of higher education and the subsequent effects of such change on student personal, social and academic development. Against this background, the subjective, lived and personal experience of the student as framed in the discourse of higher education a being an alienated experience was then presented. The concept of higher education as being an alienated experience for first year, first generation student in a developing ociety was explained within the theoretical framework espoused by Mann (2000). The theoretical framework on alienation places emphasis on the socio-cultural context, the primacy of discourse, the student as outsider (knowledge, power and insight), the teaching and learning process, the loss of ownership of the learning process and alienation as a strategy for self-preservation. A case is made that student experience of higher education can be one of alienation and that peer facilitated mentoring, as an intervening strategy, can serve to alleviate some of these negative experience. The process of peer facilitated mentoring is viewed as a democratic and collaborative response to challenges in teaching and learning in higher education. Mentoring is being widely used in higher education, globally, as a means to address student needs and institutional goals. Peer facilitated mentoring is being gradually introduced into South African higher education, especially at the first year level. The entire gamut of the first year experience of higher education was explored with a conclusion on some of the principles that must inform the first year experience. Inherent in these principles is the common element of co-operative and collaborative learning that must underpin the process of mentoring. In this regard the co-operative model was presented as the basis upon which mentoring must unfold. Upon this model, the macro and micro model of mentoring were viewed as providing both the conceptual and operational framework within which a peer-mentoring programme could be implemented. A detailed discussion is then presented on the following elements: the processes and phases of mentoring, the selection and recruitment of mentors, the selection and recruitment of mentees, the matching of mentors to mentees, benefits of the programmes and the possible weaknesses and drawbacks of the programme. The chapter concluded with a discμssion on the. significance of evaluating the programme and the manner in which such evaluations could occur. Chapter Three provided an in-depth account of the research design as regards the evaluation of the programme. Mentors, mentees and faculty co-ordinators formed part of the evaluation proces . Questionnaires were implemented to both mentees and faculty co-ordinator . Focus group interviews were conducted with mentors. The sampling frame, selection of question , analysis of feedback, interpretation of results, the validity and reliability of results were explained and motivated for in the discussion. Chapter Four pre-ented an in-depth analyses and interpretation of the feedback received from mentees, mentors and faculty co-ordinators. The analyses included both quantitative and qualitative analyses and thematic interpretations. The analyses generated a range of issue that shed light on the level to which the hypothesis could be validated and the conclusions that could be drawn. The conclusions drawn from the current study are that the first year experience of higher education is neither alienating nor engaging for the first year student and that student experience falls somewhere in the continuum between alienation and engagement. The level of alienating or engaging experiences depends on the nature and context operational at particular moments. At best the first year experience can be said to be a partially broken fragmented experience and that peer facilitated mentoring has the potential to play a mediating and powerful role in ensuring that the needs of both the student and the institution are met. Recommendations made include: ensuring that institutional policy reflects the out-of-class learning experiences, placing the programme within the main academic programme, continuously assessing the needs of first year students, continuously re-establishing the aims, objectives and goals of the programme, developing a specific curriculum for mentoring, taking care to select and train mentors and ensuring that there is supervision, monitoring and assessment of the programme.
The contributions of education for sustainable development (ESD) to quality education: an action research project on the implementation of fieldwork in die school geography curriculum
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-04) Simasiku, Frederick Simasiku; Le Grange, Lesley; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) emphasises the integration and implementation of education for sustainable development (ESD) in formal school contexts, including the provision of professional development for teachers with a view to enhancing the delivery of quality education for all school learners by 2030. Integrating ESD into formal education institutions through an action research approach is regarded as an effective avenue through which teachers’ capacity can be enhanced to implement ESD effectively in their teaching practice. This dissertation reports on an action research project undertaken at a secondary school in Windhoek in the Khomas region of Namibia. The purpose of the research study was to explore and illuminate how the integration and implementation of ESD through the application of geographical fieldwork as a teaching method contributes to the delivery of quality education within the Namibian senior secondary school Geography curriculum. The research was designed as a collaborative action research study, framed within an interpretive paradigm. The investigation process was conducted in two phases: Phase one was a small-scale qualitative survey involving semi-structured interviews carried out on a purposive sample of six practising Geography teachers. The purpose of the survey was twofold: firstly, to explore how Geography teachers conceptualised ESD as well as to explore how they integrated and implemented ESD in their classroom practice; secondly, to explore Geography teachers’ understanding and application of geographical fieldwork as a teaching method. Survey data pertaining to teachers’ classroom practices formed the basis for designing a classroom pedagogical intervention as an approach for integrating ESD into the Geography school curriculum and in teachers’ classroom practices. The design of the classroom pedagogical intervention was responsive to the Geography teachers’ challenges in effectively integrating and implementing ESD through the application of a learner-centred fieldwork teaching method. A synthesis of the social constructivist theory of learning and a ‘strengths’ model to ESD provided a theoretical and practical framework for designing and implementing a classroom pedagogical intervention. Phase two of the study involved the implementation of the classroom pedagogical intervention by two teachers in their respective Geography lessons. The researcher observed the lessons in order to collect data on the teaching and learning activities. The implementation of the classroom pedagogical intervention provided opportunities for classroom teachers to reorient their teaching practice by adopting a learner-centred fieldwork teaching method compatible with the principles of ESD and ESD pedagogy. Observations, focus group discussions, audio transcripts of classroom activities, analysis of lesson-planning records were all employed to gather in-depth qualitative data from teachers and their learners in order to interrogate the impact of the pedagogical intervention. Thereafter, triangulated data were deductively analysed and interpreted using a multidimensional framework of quality in education as a data analysis tool. This study found that, the integration and implementation of ESD through the application of geographical fieldwork as a teaching method contributed to all seven dimensions of quality education. Thus, it contributed towards the delivery of quality education within the Namibian senior secondary school geography curriculum. The study provides key recommendations in an attempt to contribute towards the effective integration and implementation of ESD in the Namibian senior secondary school Geography curriculum. The study further contributes to the understanding of how the implementation of ESD in school contexts can be evaluated within the context of Goal 4 of the UNSDGs.
Creativity in initial teacher education : a case study in geography
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03) Traut, Hester Jacoba; Frick, B. L.; Beets, Peter; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Curriculum Studies
ENGLISH ABSTRACT : The purpose of this study was to explore, analyse, interpret and describe how the perceptions of a selected group of twelve geography Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students at a South African university developed in the year of their initial teacher education (ITE) programme. The following central research question guided the study: How can the development of geography student teachers’ use of creativity act as a mediator between their acquired content knowledge and their related applied pedagogical practice? This study mainly focused on developmental theories of creativity which advocate that there are qualitatively different levels of creativity and that creativity can and should be developed in the context of ITE. Simultaneously, the importance of preparing student teachers to become subject specialists was highlighted. These two focuses underlay the argument for creativity to be purposefully used to act as mediator between (student teachers’) acquired content knowledge and their related applied pedagogical practice to provide for heightened pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). If this could be achieved, student teachers will ultimately have a positive influence on the quality of basic education in South Africa that in turn will provide for better prepared HE students. Apart from enhanced PCK as an outcome, the individual student teacher (and learner) will benefit from acquiring creative skills to equip them to cope with future demands of the 21st Century. This study followed a case study methodology and the qualitative data was generated by using questionnaires at the beginning of the study period, lesson observations during the course of the study, and in-depth individual interviews at the end of the study period. The data was analysed by means of content and thematic analysis. Although the research findings do not pose to be generalised to a larger population, it may provide new insights that can inform initial teacher education in higher education institutions in South Africa. The analysis and interpretation of this study’s data revealed a synthesis with the literature in the field and iterated the changing landscape in which university students and school-going learners find themselves. The fast-paced world we live in today places demands on individuals to become more creative in their thinking to be able to cope with changing environments, changing knowledge, more choices, more information, more novelty, and greater levels of complexity. Therefore, ITE in the 21st Century has to keep track with the apparent transition from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age. Information alone is no longer enough. Individuals (student teachers and their subsequent learners) have to be empowered to lead change and to survive inevitable change. While academic knowledge and skills may be inadequate to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world, creativity may provide skills in coping with different environments, and therefore creativity becomes increasingly important in dealing with complex issues. The results of this research indicated that student teachers’ creativity can and should be developed as part of the PGCE (ITE) programme for improved pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in the context of the respondents of this study. The twelve respondents of this study were in agreement that creativity should be included in ITE programmes because they had realised the importance and practical advantages of incorporating creativity in PCK to enhance teaching and learning. This means that creativity does indeed provide the spark that is needed between content knowledge and pedagogical practice to transform subject knowledge for enhanced and deeper learning (or PCK) that may lead to the ultimate creation of new knowledge.
A critical theory enquiry in the development of number sense in Namibian first year pre-service secondary mathematics teachers
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03) Naukushu, Shiwana Teeleni; Ndlovu, Mdutshekelwa Cephas; Gierdien, Mohammad Faaiz; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Department of Curriculum Studies
ENGLISH ABSTRACT : This study, “A Critical Theory enquiry in the development of number sense in Namibian first year pre-service secondary mathematics teachers,” inquired into the effectiveness of a Critical Theory informed intervention on the number sense training of Pre-service Secondary Mathematics Teachers in Namibia. The study proposed and evaluated a number sense training CRENS model based on Critical Theory of pre-service secondary mathematics teachers at the University of Namibia. A convenient sample of sixty (60) pre-service secondary mathematics teachers was selected. The study utilised both qualitative and quantitative methods with a pre-test-post-test control design to draw data from the participants. The study utilised a five tier-number sense test, an in-depth focus group interview, document analysis as well as a questionnaire with both open ended and closed ended questions to draw data from participants. Regarding the question about the level of number sense comprehension both the qualitative and quantitative findings revealed that the number sense of the preservice mathematics secondary teachers was below basic before the intervention. Regarding the association of the independent variable number sense the dependent variable academic performance of pre-service secondary mathematics teachers the quantitative results showed a moderate positive association. The study also found out that the changes in academic performance could be attributed to number sense up to 23% and vice-versa. The Multiple Linear Regression analysis results revealed that the individual contribution of the number sense proficiency variable was statistically significant while that of number sense reasoning was not. The number sense proficiency variables meaning and size of numbers, meaning and effect of operations and estimation, were found to have statistically significant relationship with the academic performance of preservice secondary mathematics teachers. The qualitative data presented in section 6.3 indicate that the majority of the students described their number sense experiences to be relevant to their academic performance in mathematics, with a few of the students who felt their number sense was not relevant and did not really impact their academic performance. Regarding the impact of Critical Theory intervention the study found out that there were statistically significant differences in the performance of the students before and after the intervention, particularly, in both the number sense reasoning and proficiency variables. For the number sense reasoning variables, meaning and size of numbers, counting and computational strategies and estimation the study found that the impact of a Critical Theory intervention was statistically significant. For the variables of number sense reasoning statistically significant differences were observed in the estimation and counting and computational strategies only. Overall the study found out that the impact of Critical Theory was effective. The results of the Cohen’s d effect size indicated a very large effect size in both number sense proficiency and reasoning. The qualitative data showed some improved responses to the number sense items for both number sense reasoning and number sense proficiency. It is therefore recommended that the CRENS based intervention could be used to improve the number sense of pre-service secondary mathematics teachers. It is also recommended that the number sense be incorporated on the training of pre-service secondary mathematics teachers. Both the primary and secondary school curricula should consider integrating number sense components to help the learners to understand mathematics better. This study considered an important contribution that it made in an African context where the quality of both primary and secondary mathematics education constantly falls short of international benchmark standards such as TIMSS and PISA. That is, incorporating number sense training in the curricula for preservice teachers should not just be at primary school only but also even at secondary school level. By developing the multiple linear regression analysis model presented in the analysis of data, it can also be argued that the study makes a methodological contribution to the research on number sense. This relationship can be used to give guidance on the relationship between number sense and academic performance which from the cited literature did not appear to have been explored. By applying Critical Theory and therefore introducing the CRENS model which as a unique characteristic of this study, the study fills a gap doing away with a monotonous conceptual frame work of constructivism that seems to be existing in the development of number sense. The nature of resources utilised in the study were suitable for the level of the participants, as a result, these could always be utilised in offering guidance on the number sense training by the other teacher training institutions or the University of Namibia in developing a practical number sense course as per recommendations of this study.
Culturally modified pictures in printed media as an adjuvant to education in developing communities
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1999-12) De Lange, Rudi Wynand; Kapp, C. A.; Hugo, J.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Instructional pictures can significantly facilitate recall, comprehension and problem-solving skills. This learning effect is robust and can be achieved with a variety of learners, text, pictures, media, and learning conditions. Pictures can also distract from the learning process and interfere with the process of learning how to read. People can experience difficulty in utilising pictures in picture-text learning material due to unfamiliar graphic conventions and inadequate visual and verbal literacy skills. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of pictures in picture-text learning material, and in particular the value of culturally modifying pictures in such material to increase the learning facilitation effect. The focus was on learners from developing communities. The study consisted of four phases: the development of a theoretical foundation through a literature study; an empirical component that investigated the effect of culturally modified pictures when they are combined with printed educational text; recommendations for the design and development of picture-text learning material; and the development of a model that explains and predicts pictorial learning facilitation. The literature study isolated twenty-two general factors that influence the learning effect of pictures and a further ten factors applicable to learners from developing communities. Nineteen principles were identified that can improve pictorial material that is used in educational material, health education and development programmes. Culture was shown as a filter through which people receive, interpret and transmit messages. The literature study concluded with a model that projected the picture-text-communication process in education as an open system, which takes place within a cultural environment. More than seven hundred subjects participated in eight experiments. The results have shown that culturally modified pictures do not necessarily increase recall, comprehension or problem-solving abilities more than instructional pictures that are not culturally sensitised or modified to their audience. Subjects have shown that they prefer pictures that are modified to their own culture. Culturally appropriate and relevant graphic elements and conventions might not necessarily reveal measurable cognitive value, but are important elements in instructional picture-text learning materials that are specifically aimed at developing and undeveloped communities. The study proposed a learner-centred theory for pictorial learning facilitation, seven principles for the design and development of picture-text learning material, and an analytical model that instructional designers can use during a formative and evaluative process of pictures in picture-text learning material. The main contribution of the study is a model for the explanation and prediction of pictorial learning facilitation in picture-text learning material. This model provides the means to use existing and anticipated data to predict the effect of picture-text learning material in a specific learning situation with specific learners. It also provides a means to explain the results of a picture-text learning occurrence. Sociocultural variables in text and pictures play an important role in picture-text learning material when such material is aimed at learners from developing communities. These variables become less important when the subjects move towards an urbanised, developed and heterogeneous community. Cultural appropriateness in pictures can affect the congeniality of picture-text learning material, but does not necessarily contribute on a cognitive level to the value of picture-text learning material. Inappropriate cultural conventions in text and pictures can, however, create a barrier in communication and thereby affect the cognitive value of such learning material.
Currere as deracialisation : an autobiographical reflection of a white teacher in multicultural post-apartheid South African classrooms
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-12) Steyn, Shani; Le Grange, Lesley; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: This thesis, “Currere as Deracialisation: An autobiographical introspection by a ‘white’ South African teacher in post-apartheid South Africa”, is written from a psychoanalytical perspective. I use Pinar’s (1975) work on currere1 and biographic situation2 to explore the meaning and challenges of being a ‘white’ educator, born, raised and schooled during the apartheid era,3 having to reconceptualise my pedagogy in order to meet the needs of post-apartheid culturally inclusive education. I explore the concepts of currere within the framework of Pinar’s reconceptualist theory4 on curriculum with the hope that this will breathe new life into my educational experience. Currere; a Latin word meaning “to run” and the root word for the word curriculum, is used by Pinar and Grumet (1976) to outline their method of educational autobiographical inquiry. Pinar uses the word ‘curriculum’ as an active verb for understanding the running of the course. Although the main theoretical framework is that of currere, other theories that form part of the framework for this thesis are social construction theory, cognitive dissonance theory and critical race theory. The points of departure for my research questions are summed up in this quotation from Pinar (1975:3): “What is the experience of being …a stranger in a land not one’s own?” As a consequence of my privileged and exclusive upbringing, I am not well versed in what it takes to teach in post-1994 South African classrooms. I am now a stranger and entirely inexperienced in my once familiar classroom. The four walls are the same; the demographics of the student population are not. The purpose of this thesis is two-fold: firstly, to critically examine myself as a post-apartheid educator so that I may begin to understand how my auto/biographical experiences under the political regime of apartheid in South Africa (including my whiteness and privilege) are influencing my current pedagogy, and secondly, to inspire other ‘white’ South African educators to reflect on their own understanding that ‘racial’ muteness and an adoption of ‘colour-blindness’ are not the solutions for resolving the problems in providing meaningful education in post-apartheid classrooms. The dismantling of apartheid and the consequent shift in learner demographics stemming from the new laws on education left me facing multiple and complex issues that challenged many of my own educational practices and personal assumptions. A review of the literature explored the works of education philosophers such as Maxine Greene and curriculum scholars including Ted T. Aoki and Madeleine Grumet, in addition to those of Pinar. All of them believed that in order to achieve greater social justice in education, teachers need to subject themselves to a process of critical autobiographical inquiry – in other words, currere. As a result of my journey, a new appreciation of my pedagogical self emerged in the unfamiliar terrain of my post-1994 classroom. The tensions in the dichotomies of language and culture that came to surface became creative spaces within which I could contemplate the complexities of my ‘culturally diverse’ classroom and ultimately discover new meanings.
Curriculum development in horticulture within the South African qualifications authority framework
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2002-12) Young, Michael Howard; Carl, A. E.; Coetzee, J. H.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The curricula of the Technikon National Diplomas in Horticulture, Landscape Technology and Parks (Open Space) and Recreation Management have been intermittently revised since the original inception in 1972 of the NO in Horticulture. The shortcomings in the process of curriculum revision, with special reference to programmes in Horticulture, were identified. The institution of outcomes-based education (aBE) and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) followed the promulgation of the South African Qualifications Authority Act (No. 58 of 1995). All curricula are currently being written in terms of learning outcomes that qualifying learners will be expected to demonstrate. The primary aim of this research study has been based upon the proposition that a scientifically validated situational analysis is an essential precursor to the design or redesign of a curriculum for tertiary-level horticultural training. A situational analysis that includes the sectors of Amenity horticulture, Arboriculture, Floriculture, Landscape, Nursery production, Nursery retail and Turf was undertaken. The results of this analysis were to be utilised in the development of a theoretical curriculum framework, which may be used in the development of a revised curriculum. The secondary aims of the study are complementary to the primary aim as the situational analysis has led directly to the identification of the core and specific skills/competencies within the seven sectors, the degree to which horticulturists are seen to have prepared themselves for their careers, the attributes or qualities employers expect of a qualified horticulturist and the values applicable to the horticulture profession. This research is regarded as exploratory as little documentation exists regarding the competencies being applied by horticulturists within the different sectors. As it describes the characteristics of horticulture education and training and tries to understand the meaning and relevance of the data gathered, it may also be defined as descriptive. It is also an applied research study as its focus is on the sector-specific curriculum development needs in the horticulture industry. A triangulation approach to the study was followed that utilised a quantitative as well as a qualitative approach. This served to heighten the reliability and the validity of the research. In the qualitative approach, use was made of both personal and focus group interviews, which enabled the researcher to study the problem at greater depth. The mail survey, which used a self-administered questionnaire, facilitated the collection of empirical data that was used to corroborate and extend the generalisability of the qualitative findings to a national level and was the quantitative approach followed. While the situational analysis has led to an extensive amount of empirical data relative to the revision of the curricula, the development of a theoretical curriculum framework is seen as the logical conclusion of this analysis as it represents a synthesis of the most important findings of the study. Its presentation to the industry as a concept curriculum framework, upon which a revised curriculum for technikon horticulture training may be based, is recommended. The development of a framework structured in a format compatible with the NQF, aims at meeting the curriculum needs of the different sectors of the industry.

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