Decentralization and quality assurance in the Ugandan primary education sector
- Authors: Abu-Baker, Mutaaya Sirajee
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Schools -- Decentralization -- Uganda , Education, Primary -- Uganda , Educational change -- Uganda
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/57390 , vital:26897
- Description: The study presented in this thesis is a case study analysis of decentralization and quality assurance in a decentralized set up of the Ugandan Primary Schooling. The research looked at how the monitoring and evaluation informed the policy formulation process to regulate quality assurance in a decentralized governance of primary education. The Study was positioned in the critical realist paradigm, interpretive in orientation and used both coding and thematic techniques to understand the teachers’, SMC members’, and officers’ (at district and ministry levels) experiences and perceptions of quality assurance in a decentralized set up. Data was gathered using interviews, document analysis and observation methods. The findings indicated that the study was affected by eleven themes: Management System and Leadership, Human Resource Management, Finance Administration and Management, Parenting and Nutrition, Politics, Motivation, Social Structures and Patterns, Legislative Process and Policies, Infrastructure Development and Management, Community Involvement in Education and Curriculum and Professionalism. The monitoring and evaluation system had a framework in which it operates, though there was no quality assurance policy to guide the provision of quality education. The study finally indicated that there are more threats in a decentralized set up that put Quality in danger. Secondly, there was absence of supervision/inspection in schools as there was no evidence to prove this due to absence of reports. However, document analysis indicated visits of officers to schools. Records management was a problem to schools. Decentralization was adopted at different levels by different countries to address specific problems identified in view of service delivery. Finally, though monitoring and evaluation results informed the policy and decision makers, there was no quality assurance policy to guide the provision of quality education in institutions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Abu-Baker, Mutaaya Sirajee
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Schools -- Decentralization -- Uganda , Education, Primary -- Uganda , Educational change -- Uganda
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/57390 , vital:26897
- Description: The study presented in this thesis is a case study analysis of decentralization and quality assurance in a decentralized set up of the Ugandan Primary Schooling. The research looked at how the monitoring and evaluation informed the policy formulation process to regulate quality assurance in a decentralized governance of primary education. The Study was positioned in the critical realist paradigm, interpretive in orientation and used both coding and thematic techniques to understand the teachers’, SMC members’, and officers’ (at district and ministry levels) experiences and perceptions of quality assurance in a decentralized set up. Data was gathered using interviews, document analysis and observation methods. The findings indicated that the study was affected by eleven themes: Management System and Leadership, Human Resource Management, Finance Administration and Management, Parenting and Nutrition, Politics, Motivation, Social Structures and Patterns, Legislative Process and Policies, Infrastructure Development and Management, Community Involvement in Education and Curriculum and Professionalism. The monitoring and evaluation system had a framework in which it operates, though there was no quality assurance policy to guide the provision of quality education. The study finally indicated that there are more threats in a decentralized set up that put Quality in danger. Secondly, there was absence of supervision/inspection in schools as there was no evidence to prove this due to absence of reports. However, document analysis indicated visits of officers to schools. Records management was a problem to schools. Decentralization was adopted at different levels by different countries to address specific problems identified in view of service delivery. Finally, though monitoring and evaluation results informed the policy and decision makers, there was no quality assurance policy to guide the provision of quality education in institutions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Teacher educators' interpretation and practice of learner-centred pedagogy : a case study
- Authors: Nyambe, Kamwi John
- Date: 2013-07-16
- Subjects: Bernstein, Basil B Education -- Philosophy Education (Higher) -- Namibia Teacher educators -- Namibia -- Case studies Universities and colleges -- Namibia -- Case studies Teachers -- Traning of -- Namibia -- Case studies Teachers -- In-service training -- Namibia Student-centered learning -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1954 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008260
- Description: The objective of this study was to understand how teacher educators in a Namibian college of education interpret and practice the learner-centred pedagogy underpinning the Basic Education Teachers Diploma (BETD) program. In order to achieve this objective, a case study approach was adopted, qualitative-interpretive in orientation and drawing upon interviews, naturalistic non-participant observation and document analysis. Bernstein's theory of pedagogy - in particular his notion ofrecontextualization - offered ideas and concepts that were used to generate and analyse data. The data indicated that, at the level of description, teacher educators interpreted leamercentred pedagogy as a pedagogic practice based on weak rules of regulative discourse, or a weak power relation between themselves and their student teachers. The weakening of the rules of regulative discourse and the waning of educator authority were indicated in the interview narratives, which evoked a pedagogic context characterized by a repositioning of the student teacher from the margins to the centre of the classroom, where he or she enjoyed a more active and visible pedagogic position. Contrary to the dis empowering dynamic within classroom practice under the apartheid dispensation, the repositioning of the student teacher suggested a shift of power towards him or her. Similarly, the identification of the teacher educator as afacilitator, which featured prominently in the interview narratives, further suggested a weakening or diminishing of the pedagogic authority of the teacher educator. With regard to rules pertaining to the instructional discourse, the data revealed an interpretation of leamer-centred pedagogy as a pedagogic practice based on strong framing over the selection of discourses, weak framing over pacing, and strong framing over sequencing and criteria for evaluation. When correlated with the interview data, the data generated through lesson observation and teacher educator prepared documents such as lesson plans revealed a disjuncture between teacher educators' ideas about leamer-centred pedagogy and their practice of it. Contrary to the interviews, lesson observation data revealed that teacher educators implemented leamer-centred pedagogy as a pedagogic practice based on strong internal framing over rules of the regulative discourse. Data further indicated strong internal framing over the selection, sequencing, pacing and evaluation. The study concluded that while some teacher educators could produce an accurate interpretation oflearner-centred pedagogy at the level of description, most of them did not do so at the level of practice. Findings revealed structural and personal-psychological factors that constrained teacher educators' recontextualization of the new pedagogy. A narrow understanding of leamercentred pedagogy that concentrated only on changing teacher educators' pedagogical approaches from teacher-centred to learner-centred, while ignoring structural and systematic factors, tended to dominate not only the interview narratives but also official texts. Learner-centred pedagogy was understood as a matter of changing from teachercentredness to leamer-centredness while frame factors, for instance regarding the selection, pacing or sequencing of discourses, still followed the traditional approach. The study recommends the adoption of a systematic and deliberate approach to address the multiplicity of factors involved in enabling teacher educators to interpret and implement leamer-centred pedagogy at the micro-level of their classrooms. , KMBT_363 , Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in
- Full Text:
- Authors: Nyambe, Kamwi John
- Date: 2013-07-16
- Subjects: Bernstein, Basil B Education -- Philosophy Education (Higher) -- Namibia Teacher educators -- Namibia -- Case studies Universities and colleges -- Namibia -- Case studies Teachers -- Traning of -- Namibia -- Case studies Teachers -- In-service training -- Namibia Student-centered learning -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1954 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008260
- Description: The objective of this study was to understand how teacher educators in a Namibian college of education interpret and practice the learner-centred pedagogy underpinning the Basic Education Teachers Diploma (BETD) program. In order to achieve this objective, a case study approach was adopted, qualitative-interpretive in orientation and drawing upon interviews, naturalistic non-participant observation and document analysis. Bernstein's theory of pedagogy - in particular his notion ofrecontextualization - offered ideas and concepts that were used to generate and analyse data. The data indicated that, at the level of description, teacher educators interpreted leamercentred pedagogy as a pedagogic practice based on weak rules of regulative discourse, or a weak power relation between themselves and their student teachers. The weakening of the rules of regulative discourse and the waning of educator authority were indicated in the interview narratives, which evoked a pedagogic context characterized by a repositioning of the student teacher from the margins to the centre of the classroom, where he or she enjoyed a more active and visible pedagogic position. Contrary to the dis empowering dynamic within classroom practice under the apartheid dispensation, the repositioning of the student teacher suggested a shift of power towards him or her. Similarly, the identification of the teacher educator as afacilitator, which featured prominently in the interview narratives, further suggested a weakening or diminishing of the pedagogic authority of the teacher educator. With regard to rules pertaining to the instructional discourse, the data revealed an interpretation of leamer-centred pedagogy as a pedagogic practice based on strong framing over the selection of discourses, weak framing over pacing, and strong framing over sequencing and criteria for evaluation. When correlated with the interview data, the data generated through lesson observation and teacher educator prepared documents such as lesson plans revealed a disjuncture between teacher educators' ideas about leamer-centred pedagogy and their practice of it. Contrary to the interviews, lesson observation data revealed that teacher educators implemented leamer-centred pedagogy as a pedagogic practice based on strong internal framing over rules of the regulative discourse. Data further indicated strong internal framing over the selection, sequencing, pacing and evaluation. The study concluded that while some teacher educators could produce an accurate interpretation oflearner-centred pedagogy at the level of description, most of them did not do so at the level of practice. Findings revealed structural and personal-psychological factors that constrained teacher educators' recontextualization of the new pedagogy. A narrow understanding of leamercentred pedagogy that concentrated only on changing teacher educators' pedagogical approaches from teacher-centred to learner-centred, while ignoring structural and systematic factors, tended to dominate not only the interview narratives but also official texts. Learner-centred pedagogy was understood as a matter of changing from teachercentredness to leamer-centredness while frame factors, for instance regarding the selection, pacing or sequencing of discourses, still followed the traditional approach. The study recommends the adoption of a systematic and deliberate approach to address the multiplicity of factors involved in enabling teacher educators to interpret and implement leamer-centred pedagogy at the micro-level of their classrooms. , KMBT_363 , Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in
- Full Text:
A critical investigation into course development for the preparation of school leaders
- Authors: McFarlane, Johannes
- Date: 2000
- Subjects: Educational leadership Educational leadership -- South Africa Action research in education School principals -- Training of -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1929 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007596
- Description: Many schools in South Africa suffer from the consequences of bad leadership and management practices. A contributing factor to this problem is the inadequate preparation of school leaders for the wide variety of challenges facing them. This study formed part of a three-year project to develop a preparation programme for school leaders in the Southern Cape area of South Africa. Its aims focussed on the identification of principles for the design of preparation programmes leading to improvements in practice. Twelve teachers and principals participated in the project. They enrolled for a programme in school leadership designed and offered by the University of Port Elizabeth in consultation and cooperation with the Southern Cape Learning Resource Unit in George. Five sources were utilized for the provision of data: - The existing literature on the development of preparation programmes; - The group of twelve participants of the programme; - The four school principals in the group who acted as a focus group; - The staff and certain documents from the schools where these four principals are employed; - Local stakeholders with an interest in the success of the programme. Research methods typical of the interpretive tradition were utilized in orderto arrive at a better understanding of the needs of participants and of those elements of programmes which have the greatest impact on practice. Among the insights to have emerged from the study are the following: - The fact that the preparation of school leaders is a complex and multifaceted process which is enhanced by variety, continuous interaction between presenters and participants, flexibilityt o respond to changing needs and contexts, and an ongoing implementation in and feedback from practice ; - The central role played in the professional and academic growth of participants by individuals and groups around them; - The importance of action research as a tool in the accomplishment of a variety of goals in the preparation of school leaders. The main contributions of this study include: - A framework for the development of preparation programmes, ensuring the inclusion of a wide range of elements enhancing the effectiveness of the course; - A framework for the establishment of professional networks supporting participants in preparation programmes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2000
- Authors: McFarlane, Johannes
- Date: 2000
- Subjects: Educational leadership Educational leadership -- South Africa Action research in education School principals -- Training of -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1929 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007596
- Description: Many schools in South Africa suffer from the consequences of bad leadership and management practices. A contributing factor to this problem is the inadequate preparation of school leaders for the wide variety of challenges facing them. This study formed part of a three-year project to develop a preparation programme for school leaders in the Southern Cape area of South Africa. Its aims focussed on the identification of principles for the design of preparation programmes leading to improvements in practice. Twelve teachers and principals participated in the project. They enrolled for a programme in school leadership designed and offered by the University of Port Elizabeth in consultation and cooperation with the Southern Cape Learning Resource Unit in George. Five sources were utilized for the provision of data: - The existing literature on the development of preparation programmes; - The group of twelve participants of the programme; - The four school principals in the group who acted as a focus group; - The staff and certain documents from the schools where these four principals are employed; - Local stakeholders with an interest in the success of the programme. Research methods typical of the interpretive tradition were utilized in orderto arrive at a better understanding of the needs of participants and of those elements of programmes which have the greatest impact on practice. Among the insights to have emerged from the study are the following: - The fact that the preparation of school leaders is a complex and multifaceted process which is enhanced by variety, continuous interaction between presenters and participants, flexibilityt o respond to changing needs and contexts, and an ongoing implementation in and feedback from practice ; - The central role played in the professional and academic growth of participants by individuals and groups around them; - The importance of action research as a tool in the accomplishment of a variety of goals in the preparation of school leaders. The main contributions of this study include: - A framework for the development of preparation programmes, ensuring the inclusion of a wide range of elements enhancing the effectiveness of the course; - A framework for the establishment of professional networks supporting participants in preparation programmes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2000
A phenomenological investigation into educational leaders' perceptions of themselves, their followers, and their organisational contexts
- Authors: Van der Mescht, Hennie
- Date: 1997
- Subjects: Educational leadership -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1697 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003580
- Description: Leadership is a richly researched ana widely covered topic, attracting the attention of virtually every discipline within the human sciences. Research which focuses on leadership within an educational context is, however, a relatively recent development. Most of the leadership research conducted in this century has been driven by the needs of industry. Consequently, leadership theories have tended to emphasise the instrumentality, measurability and effectiveness of leadership. Leadership models, intent on being prescriptive and 'learnable', have been inclined to oversimplify the complexity of the leadership phenomenon. Another factor which accounts for these features is the research approach adopted by researchers, which has largely been positivistic. This study is an attempt to investigate the underlying dynamics of educational leadership. It is an in-depth study of five educational leaders' perceptions of themselves as leaders, of the people with whom they interact, and of the organisations within which they work. The study is conducted along the lines suggested by phenomenology, a highly qualitative, anti-positivistic research approach, which encourages the researcher to set aside pre-conceived notions of the phenomenon, and to describe what is found exactly as it presents itself. My findings have highlighted a wide and richly varied range of psychological, emotional and cultural factors which seem to play significant roles in how leaders perceive themselves, others and their environments. Most of these factors have been either entirely ignored or very scantily covered in mainstream leadership literature. Educational leadership emerges as a complex, virtually undefinable phenomenon; new and challenging research approaches and methods have the potential for increasing our understanding of how leaders lead, which in turn will have implications for leadership education and selection.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1997
- Authors: Van der Mescht, Hennie
- Date: 1997
- Subjects: Educational leadership -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1697 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003580
- Description: Leadership is a richly researched ana widely covered topic, attracting the attention of virtually every discipline within the human sciences. Research which focuses on leadership within an educational context is, however, a relatively recent development. Most of the leadership research conducted in this century has been driven by the needs of industry. Consequently, leadership theories have tended to emphasise the instrumentality, measurability and effectiveness of leadership. Leadership models, intent on being prescriptive and 'learnable', have been inclined to oversimplify the complexity of the leadership phenomenon. Another factor which accounts for these features is the research approach adopted by researchers, which has largely been positivistic. This study is an attempt to investigate the underlying dynamics of educational leadership. It is an in-depth study of five educational leaders' perceptions of themselves as leaders, of the people with whom they interact, and of the organisations within which they work. The study is conducted along the lines suggested by phenomenology, a highly qualitative, anti-positivistic research approach, which encourages the researcher to set aside pre-conceived notions of the phenomenon, and to describe what is found exactly as it presents itself. My findings have highlighted a wide and richly varied range of psychological, emotional and cultural factors which seem to play significant roles in how leaders perceive themselves, others and their environments. Most of these factors have been either entirely ignored or very scantily covered in mainstream leadership literature. Educational leadership emerges as a complex, virtually undefinable phenomenon; new and challenging research approaches and methods have the potential for increasing our understanding of how leaders lead, which in turn will have implications for leadership education and selection.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1997
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