The value attached to teaching qualifications by educators and other stakeholders at a FET college in southern Kwa-Zulu Natal [sic].

Abstract

This study is an interpretive one which investigates the value attached to teaching qualifications by educators and other stakeholders, viz. learners, management and council at a FET College. The research focuses on the value of teaching qualifications for Further Education and Training (FET) educators. It suggests the need for professional development of FET educators in light of the new FET Act 16 of 2006 and the implementation of the National Curriculum Vocational (NCV) introduced in 2007. The study is informed by Shulman’s (1986) principles of teacher knowledge and the hypotheses of Kennedy Ahn & Choi (2008) on the value added by teacher education. The data was gathered using a questionnaire comprising three parts; close-ended questions to capture background information, a rating scale to capture the values attached to teaching qualifications and open-ended questions to capture additional data. The study concludes that values are attached to teaching qualifications mainly for the teaching of NC(V) programs and that practical expertise is necessary for skills training programs.