A study of school improvement : an exploration of the David Rattray Foundation as a case study for school improvement in the Rorke's Drift / Isandlwana area.
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Date
2013
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Abstract
The poor performance of South African schools has become a pressing concern over the years
and the need to improve learner outcomes has become tremendously important. It is for this
reason funds are invested into the planning and implementing of school improvement projects so
that learner outcomes can be enhanced. The purpose of the current study was to explore a set of
projects carried out by the David Rattray Foundation (DRF), an organisation that attempts to
bring about school improvement to schools in the Rorke’s Drift / Isandlwana area. The study
focused on trying to understand the nature and function of the DRF, what interventions they have
implemented to bring about school improvement and what the processes of change were that
occurred.
The study used Fullan’s (2006) theory of change, the seven core premises he introduces on
change and complexity theory to understand and interpret the data. The study also used Weber’s
(1947) two approaches, charisma and bureaucracy, to explain the findings that emerged from the
data gathered. The study was qualitative. The study, in addition, was an exploratory and
descriptive case study that used six types of data collection instruments, namely interviews,
document analysis, a checklist, a preference analysis, observations and Participatory Action
Research (PAR). The principals of 8 schools were interviewed as well as the CEO of the DRF. In
addition, two of the eight schools were observed in great depth. Thematic analysis was used to
analyse the data.
This study presented three themes, which emerged from the data: school improvement,
partnership and wider system issues. The findings indicated that the DRF is involved with trying
to achieve school improvement. The study also indicated a business-like approach when trying to
achieve school improvement. In addition, the study revealed a shift in the DRF’s vision, from
carrying out individual school improvement initiatives initially to wanting to adopt whole school
reform. The study portrayed the difficulty in trying to bring about school improvement to schools
in the Rorke’s Drift / Isandlwana area in view of the facts that the context is an unkind one, the
DRF consists of one person solely carrying out interventions in 17 schools under the constraints
of time and funding.
Description
M. Ed. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2013.
Keywords
School improvement programs--KwaZulu-Natal--Rorke's Drift., Educational change--KwaZulu-Natal--Rorke's Drift., Educational planning--KwaZulu-Natal--Rorke's Drift., Theses--Education.