Education, Development, Leadership and Management

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School leadership: principals’ experiences of change and reward.
(2009) Omar, Shabier.; Samuel, Michael Anthony.
This study explores principals’ experiences of school leadership. Through synthesis of varying definitions of leadership, the conceptualisation of the three foci of leadership namely, “person, practice and context” offers an initial organisational framework for this study. The democratic South Africa provides the context of change which is operationalised around issues of the pass rate, desegregation and democratic school governance. The existing landscape of leadership theory is then grafted with the South African context of change to set up the theoretical framing of this study. This study is positioned differently from dominant leadership studies in that the leader (principal) is fore-grounded rather than the “practice” of leadership. An interpretive paradigm is invoked to facilitate the acknowledgement, activation and inter-woveness of the researcher’s dual positioning as researcher and as school principal. This ambivalent positioning creates a methodological paradox that simultaneously privileges and imprisons the production of knowledge. Coherent with the methodological choice of narrative methodologies, an award winning literary play “Copenhagen” is used as a creative representational device. This play highlights issues of “personal, political, moral and scientific” challenges which become key pivotal points with which to connect all the chapters of this study. Six principals of previously disadvantaged schools, facing similar challenges of leadership participate in this study. Narrative methodologies guides both the data production and data analysis strategies. It also intentionally focuses on “personal, political and moral” challenges. Lengthy interviews produce richly detailed co-constructed mindscapes of leadership. The voices of principals and their stories are represented as individualised “reconstructed career narratives”. These provide complex, themed and descriptive understandings of leadership at the first level. At the second level, the researcher’s voice becomes dominant while meshing together data, theory and first level analysis to provide cross-case analysis providing deeper insights into experiences of school leadership. These insights challenge the dominant theoretical landscape of leadership. The main finding of this study suggests that principals “personal” experiences re-define relationships between key components of the context of change and in this way determine understandings of leadership. Principals consider the pass rate to be most important at a systemic level. However, their “personal/biographic” experiences with regard to “validation” and “professional experience” mediate that consideration and influence particular understandings of leadership. Similarly, principals’ “personal” experiences together with institutional histories play a significant role in understanding leadership in relation to issues of desegregation (geography). Principals’ “personal” experiences also determine how democratic school governance is understood with regard to accountability, consultation and agenda constructions. Finally, leadership is understood to be intricately linked to the concept of reward. The “scientific” construct of a Trefoil knot is used to develop an explanatory model and posit the basis of a “Relational Reward Theory” of understanding leadership. The thesis concludes with a discussion of the implications of pushing back contextual, methodological and theoretical boundaries in understanding school leadership.
Investigating middle management roles in implementing the new curriculum at Grade 10-12 level : a case of two schools in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
(2008) Nxumalo, Velile Nicholas.; Hugo, Wayne.; Grant, Carolyn.
This research sought to investigate middle management‟s roles in implementing the new curriculum at grade 10 -12 levels; it involved a small qualitative study of two schools in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands. At a policy level, the role of middle managers at school level in South Africa has changed. The transformation of the curriculum in South Africa placed a need in all spheres of the education system to be flexible and innovative in accepting change. In fact this need for change is mostly required by the middle management of the schools who bear the brunt of working with teachers and learners in implementing the new curriculum. Hence this qualitative study was undertaken to investigate their roles. In investigating the topic the following three questions were considered as of critical importance in understanding middle managers roles in the new curriculum. The first question explored middle managers‟ main roles in implementing the new curriculum. Secondly it explored how middle managers responded to the current reform process at the FET level, and lastly it investigated how middle managers intertwined assessment in implementing the new curriculum. The review of the literature focused on curriculum implementation internationally and locally and also explored the role of the middle managers as leaders and managers in the curriculum implementation process. The study took place in two rural schools and participants included four middle managers (three heads of department and one principal). Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires and interviews. A selection of documents (planning and teaching documents) was also collected for analysis. In a nutshell analysis revealed that endeavours were made towards the planning process. There was a presence of the subject framework, work schedule and the lesson plan. This indicated that the initial process of designing the learning programmes was being done. However, data revealed that middle managers fulfilled a management rather than leadership function. Their roles consisted largely of curriculum implementation processes at the expense of curriculum innovation and change. Barriers included a lack of time for proper planning and innovation due to a full teaching load as well as a lack of training by the Department of Education in the area of curriculum development and innovation.
The role of the school management team in developing teacher leadership : the case of two public primary schools on the lower south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2008) Ntuzela, Mzayifani Aaron.; Grant, Carolyn.
The School Management Teams (SMTs) in South African schools hold formal positions of leadership within the school's organizational structure. Because of this, the SMTs carry the responsibility of ensuring that leadership is distributed to other colleagues irrespective of status or authority in the hierarchy. On the other hand, level one educators do not hold any formal leadership position, yet the Norms and Standards for Educators (2000) expects teachers to take on leadership roles, among others, that of a leader, manager and administrator. The aim of this study was to explore the roles of the SMTs in developing teacher leadership in their schools, and to examine how the SMTs and teachers understood and enabled teacher leadership. This study was conducted in two primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and was qualitative in nature. The study used different data collection techniques, that is, the semi-structured interviews with the SMT members at both schools and focus group interviews with all level one educators at both schools. The findings of this study indicated that it is true that the concept of teacher leadership is relatively new to the majority of researchers and educators in South Africa. The concept was also understood differently by different educators and the concept was associated in the first school with a discourse of delegated leadership as opposed to distributed leadership. In this school the SMT delegated unwanted duties to teachers, not with the aim of developing teachers as leaders, but with the intention of getting administrative assistance for technical and mundane tasks. Findings in the second school revealed that although the participants understood the concept in diverse ways, teacher leadership was indeed happening. In this school it was clear that although educators were not familiar with the concept, teacher leadership was happening within a context of dispersed distributive leadership. Using Grant's (2007) model of teacher leadership, in the first school in this study teacher leadership was restricted to Zone One where the teacher is only concerned with what is happening in his or her classroom. In the second school teacher leadership was understood to operate in Zone One, within the classroom but also operated within Zones Two, Three and Four as well. Policy silence on the roles of the SMTs in developing teachers as leaders was also evident from the responses of the SMT members at both schools. The issue of training of SMT members and teachers on the areas in which teachers want to become leaders and the lack of support programmes for teacher leadership was evident in this research study. Recommendations include the need to move away from the traditional way of thinking about leadership as a one-man task and realize that leadership should be distributed to other colleagues in order to develop them as leaders. By so doing, teachers in their schools can develop a sense of ownership since they will be working collegially and collaboratively towards whole school effectiveness and school improvement.
Heads of departments' understandings of and their preparedness for their roles as curriculum managers : a case study of a rural primary school.
(2008) Mbhele, Sihle Daniel Mthokoziseni.; Govender, Magesvari.
This study investigates Heads of Department’s (HoDs’) understandings of their roles as curriculum managers and their level of preparedness for instructional support and supervision to educators in the implementation of Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) in schools. This is a qualitative case study focusing on one rural primary school in KwaZulu-Natal. There were nine participants comprising three HoDs and six randomly selected educators in the study. Data was collected by means of questionnaires, interviews, observation, and document analysis. The study examines HoDs’ understandings of their roles as curriculum managers and their perceptions about their levels of preparedness for curriculum management and supervision roles. In addition, an attempt is made to identify some of the professional development needs of HoDs in the context of OBE implementation in schools. The key findings that emerged from the research were that HoDs did not fully understand their curriculum management and supervision roles and were not adequately trained and prepared to fulfil their management and supervisory responsibilities. It was found that HoDs required professional development in the form of workshops, in-service training, networking or information sharing meetings and seminars to prepare them for their role as curriculum managers.
The effects of campus environment on student development at Masvingo State University in Zimbabwe.
(2008) Mudavanhu, Sarafina.; Searle, Ruth Lesley.
The concept of campus environment and its implication to student development is important to any institution of higher learning and student affairs in particular.
Social rights of the children in the context of HIV/AIDS : what is the reality in the new democratic South Africa?
(2008) Mpontshane, Nozipho Bethusile.; Muthukrishna, Anbanithi.
South Africa's first democratic elections were held in 1994. Since then, the government has engaged itself in a process of reconstruction and development through the formulation of policies and legislation which are in line with the country‟s Constitution of 1996. Some of these policies and legislation pertain to the issue of children‟s human rights. This study, firstly, sought to analyze key South African policies and legislations related to children‟s rights that have emerged since 1994. These documents include, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996; the Children‟s Act 38 of 2005; Education White paper 6: Building an Inclusive Education and Training Systems (Department of Education, 2001), the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996; and the National Policy on HIV/AID for learners and educators in public schools and students and educators in further education and training institutions (1999). Secondly, the study aimed to explore whether children‟s rights are a myth or reality in South Africa by analyzing secondary data gathered from a large scale research project conducted in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, titled “Mapping the Barriers to Basic Education in the context of HIV/AIDS”. The data were collected from teachers, learners in grade 3, 6 and 9; School Governing Bodies, parents, and organizations - non governmental and community based organisations working in the district. The study used an in-depth qualitative case study approach. The study involved formal and non-formal centres of learning and their communities from four community contexts: rural, deep rural, urban and peri-urban. The data set provides insight into the lives of children in these contexts. The findings suggest that several barriers experienced by children and their families to accessing their social rights embedded in key South African policy documents related to key themes that emerged in the study: risks and vulnerabilities; control, regulation and powerlessness; the commitment of quality education not being met; and childhood poverty.
The changing role of the health sciences librarians with the introduction of problem-based learning at the Nelson R. Mandela School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal.
(2006) Moodley, Kunnagie Ramasamy.; Searle, Ruth Lesley.
From 1950 to 2000 the former Faculty of Medicine, University of Natal, Durban, pursued the traditional, didactic curriculum. The implementation of problem-based learning, Curriculum 2001, introduced many changes in the curriculum where facilitators guide instead of teach students. Based on this it is important to understand the principles of problem-based learning (PBL) more extensively and the demands that may be made on the Library and the Librarians. It is assumed that a partnership exits between the librarians and the School of Undergraduate Medical Education (SUME). The object of this study is to determine whether the introduction of Curriculum 2001 impacted on the role and functions of the library and the librarians. The 5th year students from the Traditional Curriculum and 2nd year students from Curriculum 2001 were selected to participate in this study. The methods used in this study were the analysis of the minutes of the meetings that were held to discuss and plan Curriculum 2001 of the Curriculum Development Task Force, questionnaires for the undergraduate students and semi-structured interviews with the facilitators in Curriculum 2001 and medical librarians. The minutes of the CDTF were examined to ascertain if the librarians had any input in Curriculum 2001. The interviews would determine whether PBL had an impact on the role and functions of the library and the librarians. Four librarians and 15 facilitators were interviewed. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used in this study with the assistance of the EPI Info and NVivo software to analyze the results. The results of this study indicated that there is room for greater and enhanced collaboration and faculty partnerships between SUME and the library to assist the students to improve and develop their information literacy skills that are integral part in problem solving in the PBL curriculum.
'Profound understanding of fundamental mathematics' and mathematical life histories of some teachers teaching mathematics in the intermediate phase in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2007) Van Wyk, Andre Mervyn.;
This study had two components: 1) Investigating the conceptual understanding of teachers teaching elementary mathematics at primary schools in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, who had been successful in their mathematics modules in the National Professional Diploma in Education (NPDE) teacher upgrading program, and 2) Investigating the influence of their mathematical lifehistories on their understanding and personal philosophies about mathematics. It firstly required the NPDE students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal to complete a questionnaire adapted from the TELT interview schedule used by Liping Ma (1999). This questionnaire was to assess whether these high scoring teachers had an understanding of basic mathematical concepts that could have been regarded as being profound. The second part of the study was designed in order to get these teachers to examine their mathematical life histories and then to look at how their life histories could have influenced their level of understanding. It was found that these teachers were procedurally capable and were aware of the algorithms that could be used to solve the problems posed, but they lacked deep understanding of the concepts and were thus conceptually weak. None of the teachers demonstrated an understanding of the fundamental mathematics concepts that were assessed, that could be regarded as been ‘profound’. The mathematical life history portion of this study revealed that these teachers, having experienced mathematics education very differently due to their Apartheid influenced education, mentioned that there were definite influences that had a marked effect on their outlook on the subject and thus their belief in their ability to do basic/ fundamental mathematics.
Teacher education in South Africa : a critical study of selected aspects of its historical, curricular and administrative development.
(1971) Niven, John McGregor.; MacMillan, Ronald George.
This study, in a sense, mirrors the attitudes of the society in which it is based towards a fundamental pedagogical task, that of the preparation of its teachers, Almost throughout the Western world, the concept of elementary education for all was accepted as a responsibility of the society with little thought being given to the preparation of teachers to make the concept a reality. From this emerged, with the dichotomy of full education for a privileged elite, and basic education for the mass of society, the widespread idea that elementary school teachers stood in need of professional training while secondary schoolmasters required only a thorough grounding in academic studies in the university. It has only been with the full realisation about the middle decades of this century of the need for education at secondary school level for all members of society, that the necessity for a welleducated teaching force has become an accepted reality. With this has come the acceptance of teacher education as an essential pre-requisite of a national system of education rather than merely a poor and somewhat depressed Cinderella of the school system. Part One of this survey therefore seeks to examine the origins and early development of systems for the preparation of teachers in the days before the unification of the states of South Africa. Part Two carries on the historical investigation and the growing moves towards the professionalisation of teacher education up to the middle of the present century. Central to the development of this theme is the major problem of constitutional provision for the control of education in the Union of South Africa. The resultant lack of a national policy for education in general and teacher education in particular sets the stage for the second two parts of the survey. Part Three endeavours on a highly selective basis to examine some of the problems which confront the teacher educator and the educational planner at the present time, concentrating in particular upon aspects of demography and the supply of teachers, as well as the nature of the courses offered. The final section of the study examines the reform period of South African education at elementary and secondary school levels represented by the legislation of the decade of the 'sixties. In particular the proposals of the National Education Policy Act of 1967, and its amendment of 1969, regarding the structure of teacher education in this country are examined. Finally, proposals are made with regard to the implementation of this policy in the present decade. Inevitably as this investigation has proceeded, as the power of the researcher's lens has been increased, so the breadth of the study has been replaced by depth. The depth has not been consistent, reflecting the personal predelictions of the investigator. An attempt has been made to examine aspects of the preparation of teachers for the White group only. Previous experience of an investigation into a much more restricted field than is represented by South Africa revealed the practical impossibility feaiofa wider study than this. Can such a study have any function in the educational literature of the society? This is a question which is of concern to every researcher in the field of the social sciences. For the first time since the creation of Union in 1910, and the framing of the famous but ambiguous phrase in Section 85 of the South Africa Act, this country has been able to contemplate the formulation of a national education policy. The relationships between institutions and authorities charged with the preparation of teachers has in the past largely been based on divisive and separatist tendencies. If a national education policy is to be securely based, it must have at its core a teacher force which is committed to its implementation. It is in the hope that teacher education may be based upon policies which draw institutions and authorities together upon a professional basis of common interest rather than upon the coercive effect of ministerial edict that this study may have some slight value. It is in this spirit that it has been undertaken.
Distributed teacher leadership in South African schools : troubling the terrain.
(2010) Grant, Carolyn.
This publication-based study aims to ‘trouble’ the terrain of teacher leadership – at the level of both theory and praxis, in the South African schooling context. The motivation for this study came from my increasing research interest in shared forms of school leadership, particularly the leadership practices of teachers in terms of their potential as ‘agents of change’. The thesis is organised according to my ‘logic of connectivity’ which operated at a range of levels. Eight academic, peer-reviewed, independent articles constitute the ‘core’ of the study and are connected through the following emergent research questions: 1) How is teacher leadership understood and practiced by educators in mainstream South African schools?; 2) What are the characteristics of contexts that either support or hinder the take-up of teacher leadership; and 3) How we can theorise teacher leadership within a distributed leadership framing? For its connectivity at a theoretical level, this study privileges distributed leadership theory (after Spillane et al, 2004, Spillane, 2006), and specifically, a view of distributed leadership which foregrounds a ‘leader-plus’ and social practice perspective. In attempting to connect the independent pieces of work at a methodological level, I have organised them in inter-connected clusters within a three phase contingent design, and thus locate the study within the mixed methods research tradition. My study does not seek convergence in the classic sense of triangulation but rather an ‘expansion of inquiry’ which involves a secondary analysis of the findings – a meta-inference - guided by the research questions. The study thus offers an example of a PhD by publication; it reflects on the associated methodological challenges and it problematises the retrospective use of publications. The key output of the overall research which emerged from and connects the publications, is a model depicting the zones and roles of teacher leadership. The main findings of the study which emerge from the connectivity of the publications as well as from the extended literature review, suggest that while teacher leadership is regularly espoused (especially by management), in practice it is often restricted to either mundane tasks and/or the classroom and/or situations where teachers work together on curriculum issues. The data highlights the ease with which the School Management Team can operate as a barrier to teacher leadership even when national policy is underpinned by an ideological position that endorses shared forms of leadership. Despite the restrictions on take-up, however, the study argues that teacher leadership within the South African context, characterised as it is by such diversity, is nevertheless a dynamic possibility. If conceptualised within a distributed leadership framework which, in its ideal form, is democratic and which calls teachers (and management) to new forms of ‘action’, the transformation of schools and communities can become a reality.
Grappling with large classes : experience of educators, heads of department and principals in three rural schools in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2009) Baruth, Grace Gayatri.; Chikoko, Vitallis.
The South African Education system has gone through much transformation and seen significant changes in the past decade in order to provide quality education and reformation. However, many under-resourced schools, such as rural schools, still face unacceptably high teacher-pupil ratios and large classes in their schools (Prinsloo, 2006). Rathogwa (2006) confirms that rural schools have been historically disadvantaged with limited resources and poor infrastructure. The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions and experiences of educators, Heads of department (HODs) and principals about how they coped with large classes. The study was conducted in three rural primary schools situated in the Inanda Area. The study adopts a qualitative research approach. Within this approach, a case study design was adopted. The data collection methods comprise of observations and semi-structured interviews with educators, HODs and principals. The overall findings of the research show that these schools are faced with a plethora of challenges because of their large classes. The findings show that large classes result in poor achievement levels, poor quality of work and disruptive behaviour amongst the learners. Furthermore the educators are faced with heavy workloads which increase teacher apathy, teacher stress and low teacher morale amongst the educators. The schools attempt many strategies as a means to overcome their challenges. Some schools employ the following strategies: they have a strict code of conduct; they reward appropriate behaviour; they counsel difficult learners, they engage in co-operative learning, they employ qualified staff members and engage in group work. From the data collected, principals motivate staff members by having weekly staff meetings to resolve their staff conflicts. Moreover some schools have more strategies than other schools.
The relationship between quality management and school improvement : a case study of three secondary schools in Umlazi district.
(2010) Nxumalo, Thulile.; Bhengu, Thamsanqa Thulani.
In South Africa, particularly in the townships, there is a huge concern for the quality of education that children receive. As a consequence, the Department of Education (DoE) introduced policies such as the Integrated Quality Management Systems (IQMS) to improve the quality of education and for school improvement. IQMS policy was adopted from an industrial philosophy called Total Quality Management (TQM) which sought to improve production in the industries. The study used Quality Management and Total Quality management to frame the study and understand the daily lives of theparticipants in the three schools studied. This study investigated the relationship between quality management and school improvement in three secondary schools in Umlazi District. The selection of these schools was based on the public and department officials' perceptions regarding their performance, over the past three years. The research design was qualitative and used semi-structured interviews of schools principals, Heads of Departments (HODs) and educators. Unstructured observations were also used to gather data about the schools' environment, facilities available and general atmosphere. The findings indicate that there was understanding of quality management and school improvement. Findings also show that the understanding of these concepts was limited to principals only, with some HODs showing some understanding. Educators did not understand these at all, and also did not regard it as part of their responsibility to understand them. The study also showed that the understanding of the two concepts did not translate to better performance in the school.
An investigation into the factors that help or hinder teacher leadership : case studies of three urban primary schools in the Pietermaritzburg region.
(2007) Rajagopaul, Shavitha Mathuri.; Grant, Carolyn.
This study was done in order to determine whether teachers are taking on leadership roles in their schools. The following questions were posed: What factors exist in schools that help or hinder teacher leadership? What structures need to be in place for teachers to be leaders? How does the culture of the school support or creates barriers to teacher leadership? And, finally , what personal factors enhance or inhibit teacher leadership? This dissertation takes the form of case studies of three urban primary schools in the Pietermaritzburg region. The study is qualitative in nature and examines the leadership roles that teachers are undertaking, with the intention of identifying and exploring the factors that help or hinder teacher leadership. To ascertain the responses of teachers, a questionnaire, as well as semi-structured interviews were used. The principals who participated in the study were also interviewed to ascertain their views on teacher leadership. South Africa is a relatively new democracy with a host of new policies. The one that is of relevance to this study is the Norms and Standards for Educators (2000). This policy prescribes that teachers are required to undertake seven roles . Of these seven roles , the one that is of particular relevance to this study, is the role of leader, administrator and manager. This role, as prescribed by policy, implies that teachers are expected to undertake leadership roles , both in and out of the classroom. What is of interest, however, is whether and to what extent, this policy prescription is implemented in the school. The findings revealed that schools in the study were characterized by structures that were 'top-down' , and that leadership roles in these schools were delegated, rather than distributed. Findings also pointed to a number of barriers to teachers taking on leadership roles . These included time constraints, rigid attitudes of principals and school management team members as well as the impact of taking on additional roles and responsibilities, on the personal lives of teachers. Some recommendations in order for leadership to succeed in South Africa would be, firstly , that steps should to be taken to implement and encourage teacher leadership. This would entail a change in mindset on the part of principals in particular, many of whom would have to radically revise their views of what constitutes leadership and who should lead. Secondly, there should be a movement away from delegated leadership towards a more distributed form of leadership. Thirdly, it is also the recommendation of this study that the creation of a collaborative culture in schools will create an enabling environment for teacher leadership to flourish.
The integrated quality management system : exploring the tension between accountability and professional development.
(2008) Ramnarain, Shamella.; Ngwenya, Thengani Harold.
This study critically examines the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS), a quality and performance management system that was introduced into South African schools in 2005. The policy initiatives in South African education are aimed at producing an educated and appropriately skilled workforce. Central to the idea of an ‘educated workforce’ that can compete in the global markets lies the quality of teaching and learning in a nation’s schools. This has implications for teacher performance. Teachers and schools are asked to be accountable to the community they serve, the taxpayer and to the government for the considerable sum invested in education. Therefore, there is a concern with maintaining ‘standards’ in education as well as enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. At the same time cognizance has to be taken of the fact that in South Africa, teacher professional development is a vital concern. The main notion to be examined in this study is the notion of professional development as a counterbalance to the idea of accountability as a key driver of the IQMS. Thus this study revolves around and explores the tension between the notion of accountability and evidence-based evaluation on the one hand; and the need to enhance professional development and maintain professional autonomy on the other hand. What becomes more important; the evaluation of performance to enhance teacher development and professionalism or the measurement of performance with a view to rewarding ‘good’ performance? New Public Management (NPM) was chosen as the theoretical framework for this thesis as it is obviously both an ideology and a model for many public sector organizations like schools. NPM is an ideology based on market-related principles like setting performance targets and using performance measurement and incentive structures. The IQMS is a practical manifestation of the principles and assumptions underpinning iv NPM. Critical Management Studies (CMS) which is defined as a broad approach to management studies embracing a number of epistemologies which are compatible with a social justice and people-development perspective was used to evaluate the principles and purposes of the IQMS and its NPM underpinnings. A combination of both quantitative and qualitative research paradigms was employed in order to gather data in this study. Survey questionnaires were administered to principals and educators in KwaZulu-Natal in order to elicit their views on the IQMS. Semistructured and unstructured interviews were also conducted with departmental officials and teacher union officials respectively. The data gathered was analyzed using the metatheoritical framework of ‘critical theory’ mainly because the main objective of the study was to uncover the assumptions underpinning the IQMS. The conclusions arrived at indicate that the mechanical aspects of the IQMS relating to ‘performitivity’ undermine the potential of the IQMS as a genuine professional development tool. If the IQMS is used for the latter purpose it would inevitability lead to an enhancement of the quality of teaching and learning. Neo-liberal ‘managerialist’ and post-welfarist reforms adopted by the state are not suitable presently for a developing country like South Africa. South Africa needs a teacher evaluation policy that is genuinely developmental, taking into account both the professional development needs of its educators and the socio-economic context in which schools operate.
An exploration into teachers' perceptions on teacher leadership and their motivational levels to engage in leadership roles at school.
(2008) Chatturgoon, Shobhana.; Mthiyane, Cynthia Carol Nonhlanhla.
The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of teachers’ perceptions on teacher leadership and motivational levels to engage in leadership roles at school. The research study was conducted within a qualitative research paradigm and took the form of a single case study in one secondary school in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal. Multi-data collection techniques included semi-structured interviews, a focus group interview, semi-structured and unstructured observations and document analysis.
The role of the school library committee in governance : case studies of three public schools in Kwazulu-Natal.
(2007) Govender, Rookumani.; Karlsson, Jennifer Anne.
Experiences of Zulu African mothers of adolescents who are misbehaving in urban townships in Durban.
(2007) Khumalo, Nonhle Olga.; De Lange, Naydene.
In this study the experience of Zulu African mothers who have adolescents who are misbehaving in urban townships in Durban were identified and explored. A qualitative, descriptive, contextual and interpretive research design was used to capture the experiences of ten mothers whose adolescents are misbehaving. Data was collected by means of individual semi-structured interviews as well as feedback and collaboration with the mothers. Data was analysed using Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis, through which, four themes emerged. Themes are clustered around the support of mothers’ perceptions of themselves, mothers’ fearful emotional responses and mothers’ suggestions on managing adolescents who are misbehaving. The strongest themes that emerged, which were reported by all the mothers were family support, despair and worry. Mothers mentioned that they experienced lack of support from their extended families, schools and other structures in helping them deal with their experiences. Mothers also mentioned feelings of worry about their children’s life, and despair in relation to not knowing what to do or who to turn to for help. Guidelines and strategies in the form of recommendations are made to assist mothers in managing their adolescents who are misbehaving and also to facilitate adolescents in gaining parenting skills in schools.
Challenges faced by the selection committees during the selection process and recommendation of the appointment of educators, particularly to promotional posts, in rural schools.
(2007) Mkhize, Zakhele Denzil.; Bayeni, Sibusiso Douglas.
The study examined the challenges faced by the selection committees during the selection process and recommendation of the appointment of educators particularly to promotional posts in rural schools. Through my working experience in the rural schools for the past eighteen years, I have realised that rural communities are characterized by a cocktail of social ills, such as, poverty, poor hygiene, dreadful diseases and illiteracy. From the verbal discussions with my colleagues and members of the community, it has become evident that rural schools are faced with many challenges. I have also realized that some members of the School Governing Bodies (SGBs) encounter numerous problems in performing their tasks. A School Governing Body (SGB) was constituted in terms of the South African Schools Act (SASA) No.84 of 1996. According to SASA; the SGB has many functions to perform. One of these functions is to form a selection committee to interview candidates and make recommendations to the Department of Education for the appointment of the selected educators. However, existing literature and studies revealed that the selection and appointment process in some schools is fraught with many problems. Some of the problems emanate from the nature and the way the selection committee is composed. For instance, in certain rural schools there is a low level of education amongst some parents and some members do not have conception of what is required from educators in order to qualify for employment or promotion. Subsequently, their ability to interview and select educators is questionable. The findings of the study suggested that there are also underlying factors which affected the selection process. These factors ranged from favouritism, subjectivity and biasness, impact of the Post Provisional Norm/Model (PPN/M), selection and scoring criteria, lack of expertise to manipulation by members during the selection process. Recommendations were made on the basis of these findings, however, the results of this study may not be generalized to all the rural schools in South Africa because of a few number of participants who were involved.
Educator professional development and support in three rural and two semi-rural secondary schools in KwaMashu circuit.
(2008) Nkosi, Joyce Nozipho.; Ngcobo, Thandi Moira.
In this study I undertook to investigate educator professional development and support in three rural and two semi-rural schools in the KwaMashu Circuit. The rationale for the study took into consideration the demands for continuous educator professional development in order to enable the educators to face and overcome current challenges in education. In addition, schools located in rural and semi-rural areas are largely under-resourced, thus necessitating excellent human resource input from the educators. This therefore calls for effective and extensive professional development and support in such disadvantaged areas.
Participatory methodology : an investigation into its use with primary school children in mapping HIV/AIDS as a barrier to learning in Kwazulu-Natal.
(2008) Murugen, Veshanti.; Ramsuran, Anitha.; Ebrahim, Hasina Banu.
This study examines the use of participatory methodology with primary school children in mapping HIV/AIDS as a barrier to learning in KwaZulu-Natal. The study draws on a larger National Research Funded (NRF) Project1 undertaken in the Richmond area of KwaZulu-Natal. Data was produced through semi-structured interviews of six researchers involved in the NRF project; through document analysis of the data sets involving the learners and facilitators, the NRF project report and the related journal articles based on the project; and through field observation conducted by me. The findings of the study suggest that in research on HIV/AIDS it is essential to seek participatory ways of enabling children’s voices on the pandemic as it unfolds in their context. High researcher reflexivity is necessary in order to become sensitive and responsive to the challenges of including children’s voices in vulnerable circumstances. Findings also suggest the importance of viewing ethics as situated practice. The study ends with implications for research methodology courses, researcher training and evidence from children for policy on HIV/AIDS.

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