Repository logo
 

The role of principals in transforming their schools into professional learning communities : the perspectives of two secondary schools in Ugu District.

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorBhengu, Thamsanqa Thulani.
dc.contributor.authorNgcamu, Bhekukwenza American Francis.
dc.date.accessioned2016-12-12T11:21:05Z
dc.date.available2016-12-12T11:21:05Z
dc.date.created2014
dc.date.issued2014
dc.descriptionMaster of Education in Educational Leadership, Management and Policy. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood 2014.en_US
dc.description.abstractThe need for collaborative learning between and among teachers has emerged. In the past, teachers were working in isolation; in their classrooms and schools. This practice of isolation, has limited their professional development and to some extent, compromised the quality of education that the schools offer to the students. The culture of collaborative learning by teachers has been advocated by different pieces of literature, in different contexts, by different researchers to cater for the reciprocal professional grow of teachers. Principals of schools can play an important role in transforming their schools into professional learning communities. This study, as a result, has been undertaken in order to understand the role that the principals of schools can play in transforming their schools into professional learning communities. The assumption is that after completion Advanced Certificate in Education School Leadership (ACE: SL) programme, the principals would be able to transform their schools into professional learning communities. In the study, semi-structured interviews, document analysis and informal observations were the methods that were used to generate data. The interviews were recorded and transcribed before they were analysed. Data from the transcripts were coded and themes were form, which were used to analyse the data. Documents were also analysed in accordance to the themes that had been developed and some observations during the interviews process were also used in the analysis of the study. The results of the study reveal that i) The schools whose principals play an active role in transforming them into professional learn communities show better performance in grade 12 than their counterparts that work in isolation. ii) Some principals still lack expertise and commitment to transforming their schools into professional learning communities. iii) Some principals are engaged in teacher leadership development in such a way that they even allow teachers to attend leadership workshops outside their schools. iv) Some principals are so committed to professional learning communities to such an extent that they even provide refreshments and buy some books for the professional learning communities. This instils love for collaborative learning in teachers and learners, as well. v) Some principals promote collaborative learning of teachers both from within and outside the schools. This contributes to the reduction of job related stress which is sometimes experienced by teachers who work in isolation.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10413/13865
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_US
dc.subjectProfessional learning communities -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal.en_US
dc.subjectSchool principals -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal.en_US
dc.subjectTeaching teams -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal.en_US
dc.subjectTheses -- Education.en_US
dc.titleThe role of principals in transforming their schools into professional learning communities : the perspectives of two secondary schools in Ugu District.en_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Ngcamu_Bhekukwenza_American_Francis_2014.pdf
Size:
637.33 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Thesis
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.64 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download

Collections

Masters Degrees (Education, Development, Leadership and Management)