Masters Degrees (Education Policy Studies)

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Considering an ethics of care in managing disciplinary problems at four Cape Town schools
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-12) Thieras, Jillian; Davids, Nuraan; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Poor discipline is a perennial problem in most South African schools. On the one hand, there are several factors, both internal and external, that influence and affect the conduct of learners. On the other hand, schools are under continuous pressure to respond to and manage new types of disciplinary problems. Regular playground disagreements or truancy are accompanied by more worrying acts of violence and cyberbullying. Despite a plethora of post-apartheid policies, directed at managing classrooms through democratic practices, principals, teachers, and school governing body continue to struggle to maintain disciplined teaching and learning environments. Since corporal punishment has been abolished, teachers and principals have struggled to develop long-term solutions to manage discipline effectively. Despite disciplinary policies that have been introduced to assist schools with poor disciplinary problems, teachers and principals have their own methods of managing discipline, and these tend to be short-term alternatives. It has been found that the policies recommended by the Western Cape Education Department and the Department of Basic Education have the potential to assist with disciplinary problems. However, teachers and principals lack the consistency in implementing these policies. Therefore, ethics of care has been introduced as a new approach to managing discipline so teachers and principals can eliminate general disciplinary problems. This study examines how four schools in the Western Cape – two high schools and two primary schools manage and respond to learner disciplinary problems. This study sought insights into the types of disciplinary problems typically experienced at these four schools, how teachers and principals responded to and managed disciplinary problems, school-based policies on managing discipline, and how these are being implemented. this is done by adopting a qualitative and phenomenological paradigm. In an effort to look at alternative practices to those currently employed, in the four schools, I drew on Noddings’ (2005) espousal of an ethic of care. Noddings (2005) opines that caring is an encounter between two human beings. However, we cannot suggest that caring will accomplish everything that must be done in education, but it is a step in the right direction. An ethics of care requires teachers and principals to first listen attentively to learners, and trust will be established as time passes. In this way, learners will start to accept what teachers and principals try to teach. Thereafter, as teachers and principals engage actively with learners about their needs and experiences, they will gain important information about the learners and better understand why certain learners tend to misbehave (Noddings, 2005). The findings suggest that teachers at high and primary schools experience some form of poor discipline, and teachers try to devise different strategies to manage them, as the lack of discipline in schools impacts teaching and learning tremendously. Furthermore, the findings revealed that poor learner discipline worsens in high school. This could be due to several problems that they may be experiencing at home or in the community. Specifically, gangsterism and substance abuse which is later discussed in the literature review. The study argues for an ethic of care as a new approach to managing poor discipline as it is clear that teachers are slowly becoming demotivated to teach effectively, and current strategies and approaches are not bringing about the changes, conducive to a functional schooling environment.
Beginner-onderwyseresse ervaring van mentorskap en induksie in Wes-Kaap
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Adams, Theo; Joorst, Jerome P.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explored the experiences of novice teachers with induction and mentoring. A qualitative approach was used with data from semi-structured interviews. The study was conducted with participants working in primary schools under the control of the Western Cape Education Department. Participating teachers were purposefully selected based on specific criteria and a contribution to the enrichment of the research question. The New Teacher Induction (2020) regarding the induction of novice – teachers underpinned the study. An interpretative research perspective was used in the investigation. This approach focused on participants' experience and was the most appropriate for understanding their experience within their respective school settings. The data was analysed using Pierre Bourdieu, Tara Yosso and Stephen Ball's theories, bringing a dynamic view of the study findings. The most important finding was that novice teachers received minimal to no mentoring during their induction into the teaching profession. They crafted viable pathways for themselves to stay on track in their practical immersion into their school. Their search for growth opportunities and self-empowerment helped them navigate within the practice. Although the study was limited to only four novice teachers, the insights from the investigation can inform and motivate other novice teachers to successfully navigate their induction into the teaching profession if mentorship is unavailable in their schools.
The role of school management teams in providing care and support to high school teachers
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Muller, Carla; Feldman, Jennifer; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies.
Teachers experience multiple challenges and stresses within their profession on a daily basis. The school management teams (SMTs) of a school hold the possibility of influencing how teachers experience aspects of their work life in schools. Hence, this thesis explores how school management teams in three diverse school contexts can provide care and support to teachers in high schools. In order to explore how school management teams can provide support and care to teachers, the literature was consulted to establish what South African policy states about school management teams’ roles and responsibilities in a school. In addition, studies that consider school leadership and management were consulted to obtain literature that is relevant to care and support in schools. The research used qualitative research methods by conducting focus group discussions with teachers and individual semi-structured interviews with school management teams. The teachers who formed part of the focus groups, were post level one teachers, while the school management team participants consisted of departmental heads, deputy principals and principals. The participants were purposively selected from three diverse schools within the Sarah Baartman education district. During the interviews, the post level one teachers responded to questions regarding their expectations in relation to the care and support they felt they required from their school management teams. The school management team participants answered questions in relation to what they felt formed part of their caring and supportive roles and responsibilities towards teachers in the school. All the participants were prompted to identify the challenges they felt impeded the formulation of caring relationships between teachers and school management teams. The data was gathered and presented according to Nel Noddings’ ethics of care framework, which is encompassed by four moral components namely modelling, dialogue, practice and confirmation. In addition, the data was discussed in relation to leadership and management literature and policy documents that guided how schools should care for and support educators. The findings indicated that the SMT members perceived availability, the provision of mentorship, professional development as well as communication through listening and speaking as important caring roles and responsibilities. Similarly, the teachers viewed mentorship and communication as vital SMT caring responsibilities. Furthermore, the teachers identified empathy, appreciation and recognition as caring approaches that they expected from their SMT members. The challenges experienced in the caring and supportive relationship between teachers and SMT members were also identified and discussed. Policy that stated that the leadership and management of a school have a responsibility to act as mentors, guides and coaches in the schooling environment was also discussed. Recommendations for further studies were made in the concluding chapter with regards to the caring responsibilities of SMT members in high schools, and recommendations for SMT members were made. Limitations of the study were stated and a reflection of the significance of the study in my own schooling context is provided after the conclusion of the study.
The perceived roles and competencies for distance educators employed by a private higher education institution
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-12) Wiese, Sandra; Tshuma, Nompilo; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Education educators need to fulfil new roles and competencies as traditional teaching techniques cannot simply be transferred to the distance education environment. Educators need assistance in clarifying their new roles in order to address the challenges brought about by the differences between traditional learning environments and distance education. Numerous studies have been conducted on roles and competencies in distance education in the USA, Canada, Australia and India. In the South African context, such studies have been situated within the context of one public mega open distance learning university, namely the University of South Africa. To date, research regarding the roles of educators in private higher education institutions is limited. Therefore, the focus of this study was an attempt to fill the gap in the literature regarding the roles and competencies of private distance educators. The results will form the basis for the future development of a framework for academic staff development in private distance higher education. The study employed a survey design using a quantitative web-based questionnaire to gather data on the perceived roles and competencies of distance educators employed by a private higher education institution. The respondents were firstly required to indicate their perceived importance of the eight roles according to the Online Instructor Roles and Competencies which was developed by Martin et al. 2021, and, secondly, their perceived competency in each role. The study indicated that private distance education educators perceived all eight role categories as important and viewed their role competency in the following descending order: subject matter expert, course designer and developer, assessor/evaluator, advisor/mentor, course facilitator, technology expert, course manager, and lifelong learner. The respondents found the roles of advisor/mentor and course facilitator the most challenging. Respondents perceived the role of advisor or mentor as challenging mainly because advisors and mentors struggled to encourage students to engage with the resources and announcements on the Learning Management System. The findings in the study will be utilised to develop an induction programme covering the eight academic roles and addressing the challenges faced by distance educators who work online.
The reflective account of the leadership and management practices of four primary school principals during the COVID-19 pandemic
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-12) Roberts, Jamie Jeanette; Feldman, Jennifer ; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aimed to understand how school principals led and managed their schools during the 2020 and 2021 COVID-19 pandemic. It provides an in-depth interpretation and analysis utilising relevant literature and Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and field to investigate the school principals’ leadership and management practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study followed a qualitative research method located in the interpretivism paradigm where the participants were purposefully selected. The principals selected to partake in the study were school leaders who led and managed their schools during the 2020/1 pandemic period. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews in the comfort of the school principal’s office. School principals are responsible for the schools’ daily functioning and were at the forefront of dealing with the pandemic crisis. The analysis of how principals led and managed their schools during the pandemic, within the diversity of their context, provides an understanding of the complexity of school leaders' leadership and management practices. The findings revealed that throughout the 2020 and 2021 pandemic, school principals led and managed their schools according to their previous educational and leadership and management experiences. Drawing on Bourdieu, the study shows how their previous experiences informed their dispositional ways of thinking and being which impacted their practices as leaders and managers during the pandemic conditions. Thus, the thesis responds to the main research question: What do the reflective accounts of four primary school principals in diverse contexts reveal about leading and managing a school during a crisis?

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