A critical investigation of conflict management : a case study of a Namibian institution
- Authors: Uiras, Hilja
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: Conflict management -- Namibia Conflict management -- Study and teaching Culture conflict Social conflict Conflict management -- Namibia -- Case studies Conflict management -- Study and teaching -- Case studies Culture conflict -- Namibia -- Case studies Social conflict -- Namibia -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1480 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003361
- Description: This study is a qualitative interpretative study of conflict management in a multicultural Namibian institution. The focus of the study is to understand how individual people in a particular organization perceive conflict, the possible sources of conflict as well as to explore the possible strategies of managing conflict. This is followed by an analysis of the general educational cultural and social characteristics of Namibia, which relate to the sources of conflict. I also make an attempt to have a deeper understanding of people from different cultural and educational backgrounds in viewing conflict and how these differences might be seen as major sources of conflict and how they deal with it - by using a case study approach. I interviewed 5 participants from different cultural backgrounds. The major research methodology I used in this study is in-depth interviews that allowed me to explore people's understanding of, attitudes to and views on conflict. I supplemented the interviews with participant observation, which allowed me to get first-hand information on how people interact socially and in meetings in order to explore possible sources and existence of conflict in meetings and how the staff dealt with it. Furthermore, I tried as much as possible to observe daily activities as an observer. People interviewed have different perceptions about conflict. Some use conflict to their advantage to arouse discussion and stimulate creative thinking. Some people find conflict to be a burden, something to be minimized. This avoidance leads to poor decisions and poor use of teams as a way to improve both decision making and acceptance of the decisions that are made. Cultural differences among staff and the process of reform emerge as the major sources of conflict. Whether a conflict will result in negative or positive consequences, or both, will depend to a large part on the strategy taken to resolve the conflict.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1999
- Authors: Uiras, Hilja
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: Conflict management -- Namibia Conflict management -- Study and teaching Culture conflict Social conflict Conflict management -- Namibia -- Case studies Conflict management -- Study and teaching -- Case studies Culture conflict -- Namibia -- Case studies Social conflict -- Namibia -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1480 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003361
- Description: This study is a qualitative interpretative study of conflict management in a multicultural Namibian institution. The focus of the study is to understand how individual people in a particular organization perceive conflict, the possible sources of conflict as well as to explore the possible strategies of managing conflict. This is followed by an analysis of the general educational cultural and social characteristics of Namibia, which relate to the sources of conflict. I also make an attempt to have a deeper understanding of people from different cultural and educational backgrounds in viewing conflict and how these differences might be seen as major sources of conflict and how they deal with it - by using a case study approach. I interviewed 5 participants from different cultural backgrounds. The major research methodology I used in this study is in-depth interviews that allowed me to explore people's understanding of, attitudes to and views on conflict. I supplemented the interviews with participant observation, which allowed me to get first-hand information on how people interact socially and in meetings in order to explore possible sources and existence of conflict in meetings and how the staff dealt with it. Furthermore, I tried as much as possible to observe daily activities as an observer. People interviewed have different perceptions about conflict. Some use conflict to their advantage to arouse discussion and stimulate creative thinking. Some people find conflict to be a burden, something to be minimized. This avoidance leads to poor decisions and poor use of teams as a way to improve both decision making and acceptance of the decisions that are made. Cultural differences among staff and the process of reform emerge as the major sources of conflict. Whether a conflict will result in negative or positive consequences, or both, will depend to a large part on the strategy taken to resolve the conflict.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1999
An investigation of how members of a school governing body perceive and experience their roles : a case study
- Authors: Lusaseni, Pamella Hombakazi
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: School management and organization -- South Africa School boards -- South Africa Educational leadership School personnel management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1898 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006204
- Description: Education in South Africa is currently facing a lot of changes. This study was prompted by one of these changes, the introduction of a School Governing Body (SGB), constituted in terms of the 1996 Schools Act (South Africa 1996), and replacing the previous Parent-Teacher-StudentAssociation (PTSA). The study investigates how the members of a School Governing Body perceive and experience their roles, in an attempt to make a contribution to understanding the nature and implications of education governance policy in South Africa. Central to this exercise is the attempt to understand how the execution of their duties, their practice of both democracy and accountability, and their resolving of tensions and/or differences among parents, teachers and students, impacts upon their school generally and relates both to the Department of Education and other organs of society. The methodology employed in this study includes a review of relevant literature, international and national, followed by a historical overview of education governance in South Africa. The core of the thesis is an interpretive case study of the SGB of one junior secondary school under the auspices of the Department of Education, Culture and Sport, in the South Eastern region of the Eastern Cape Province. The single most important data gathering instrument used was a series of in-depth interviews. The interviewees were the Executive members of the SGB of the school. The major findings of the study were that the SGB was powerful and effective in its area of operation in school governance, despite its lack of skills in the execution of its duties. Many of the difficulties it has encountered can be ascribed to a lack of guidance from the Department of Education. The study thus concludes that whereas the SGB studied represents an important step towards the full democratization of education in general and in this school in particular, its role in school governance can not be described as an unqualified success. However, despite the problems faced by the SGB, its role has made history in the governance of the school. Programmes which the SGB has implemented, such as measures to foster a culture of teaching and learning, have had an important impact on the progress of the school. Finally, the findings of the study indicate that the most important issues to be addressed in respect of the SGB researched are capacity building, communication, cultural understanding and the level of SGB understanding of the Schools Act. The study makes certain recommendations for the attention of SGBs and the Department of Education. These include a well co-ordinated capacity building prograrn to be developed and implemented, that will provide SGBs with access to knowledge of the relevant material and other resources necessary to sustain school governance functions. Because of the limited nature of the study in terms of methodology and constraints of time, the conclusions arrived at cannot and should not be generalized beyond the confines of the study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1999
- Authors: Lusaseni, Pamella Hombakazi
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: School management and organization -- South Africa School boards -- South Africa Educational leadership School personnel management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1898 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006204
- Description: Education in South Africa is currently facing a lot of changes. This study was prompted by one of these changes, the introduction of a School Governing Body (SGB), constituted in terms of the 1996 Schools Act (South Africa 1996), and replacing the previous Parent-Teacher-StudentAssociation (PTSA). The study investigates how the members of a School Governing Body perceive and experience their roles, in an attempt to make a contribution to understanding the nature and implications of education governance policy in South Africa. Central to this exercise is the attempt to understand how the execution of their duties, their practice of both democracy and accountability, and their resolving of tensions and/or differences among parents, teachers and students, impacts upon their school generally and relates both to the Department of Education and other organs of society. The methodology employed in this study includes a review of relevant literature, international and national, followed by a historical overview of education governance in South Africa. The core of the thesis is an interpretive case study of the SGB of one junior secondary school under the auspices of the Department of Education, Culture and Sport, in the South Eastern region of the Eastern Cape Province. The single most important data gathering instrument used was a series of in-depth interviews. The interviewees were the Executive members of the SGB of the school. The major findings of the study were that the SGB was powerful and effective in its area of operation in school governance, despite its lack of skills in the execution of its duties. Many of the difficulties it has encountered can be ascribed to a lack of guidance from the Department of Education. The study thus concludes that whereas the SGB studied represents an important step towards the full democratization of education in general and in this school in particular, its role in school governance can not be described as an unqualified success. However, despite the problems faced by the SGB, its role has made history in the governance of the school. Programmes which the SGB has implemented, such as measures to foster a culture of teaching and learning, have had an important impact on the progress of the school. Finally, the findings of the study indicate that the most important issues to be addressed in respect of the SGB researched are capacity building, communication, cultural understanding and the level of SGB understanding of the Schools Act. The study makes certain recommendations for the attention of SGBs and the Department of Education. These include a well co-ordinated capacity building prograrn to be developed and implemented, that will provide SGBs with access to knowledge of the relevant material and other resources necessary to sustain school governance functions. Because of the limited nature of the study in terms of methodology and constraints of time, the conclusions arrived at cannot and should not be generalized beyond the confines of the study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1999
An investigation of students' role within the governing structures of educational institutions
- Authors: Ngaso, Khayalethu Edward
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: Student participation in administration -- South Africa School management and organization -- South Africa Student government -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1644 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003526
- Description: The question of the role of students in the governance of educational institutions has been an issue for decades in South Africa. It arose out of the desire and struggle by black students for a better sociopolitical environment in general and in education in particular. This demand gained momentum in the years 1976,1980 and 1985. The result was the establishment of Student Representative Councils, Parent-teacher-Student's Associations at schools, Broad Transformation Forums and Governing Councils at tertiary institutions. After 1994 the government of South Africa started the major task of reconstructing the country particularly education and its governance. Democratic governance was accepted as one of the fundamentals of education by the new department of education. The Schools' Act and the Higher Education Act were passed to give effect to this new spirit in 1996 and 1997 respectively. Students had a statutory right to be involved in all matters of governance in educational institutions. However, in the past two years i.e. 1997 and 1998 the issue of student participation has become controversial with tensions erupting amongst stakeholders particularly management and students. The bone of contention this time has not been whether students have to participate or not but how far should they be involved. The National Education Policy Investigation task team had recommended as early as 1992 for the systematic analysis of the roles of the various stakeholders within the governing structures to avoid the present situation to no avail. The aim of this study therefore was to investigate students' perceptions of their role within the governing structures and to assess the implications of such a role for the management of educational institutions. Central to this largely fact finding mission was an attempt to make a contribution engaging students in this debate and get to know them afresh, thereby understand their position, what their perception is about their role in the governance of their institutions. For this purpose the study used phenomenology as the method of research. The reason for that I wanted a methodology which will enable me to produce a report which would not be contaminated with my preconceived ideas about the phenomenon. The tool used for data-gathering was the interview. In-depth interviews were conducted with four student leaders. They were selected purposely due to the fact that they were involved in the governance of their various institutions. The study revealed the complexity of this phenomenon. It indicates that student involvement is crucial for harmonious relations to prevail and the creation of a climate of learning and teaching at educational institutions. Students saw their role as that of legitimising the process of decision-making. This is coupled with enforcing the management to be transparent, bringing back the rule of law, making sure that educational institutions are transformed, that students are empowered and capacitated and looking at the welfare of students. A recommendation that emerge from the study is that much investigation is needed on student participation. Areas which needed much attention are specified in the study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1999
- Authors: Ngaso, Khayalethu Edward
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: Student participation in administration -- South Africa School management and organization -- South Africa Student government -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1644 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003526
- Description: The question of the role of students in the governance of educational institutions has been an issue for decades in South Africa. It arose out of the desire and struggle by black students for a better sociopolitical environment in general and in education in particular. This demand gained momentum in the years 1976,1980 and 1985. The result was the establishment of Student Representative Councils, Parent-teacher-Student's Associations at schools, Broad Transformation Forums and Governing Councils at tertiary institutions. After 1994 the government of South Africa started the major task of reconstructing the country particularly education and its governance. Democratic governance was accepted as one of the fundamentals of education by the new department of education. The Schools' Act and the Higher Education Act were passed to give effect to this new spirit in 1996 and 1997 respectively. Students had a statutory right to be involved in all matters of governance in educational institutions. However, in the past two years i.e. 1997 and 1998 the issue of student participation has become controversial with tensions erupting amongst stakeholders particularly management and students. The bone of contention this time has not been whether students have to participate or not but how far should they be involved. The National Education Policy Investigation task team had recommended as early as 1992 for the systematic analysis of the roles of the various stakeholders within the governing structures to avoid the present situation to no avail. The aim of this study therefore was to investigate students' perceptions of their role within the governing structures and to assess the implications of such a role for the management of educational institutions. Central to this largely fact finding mission was an attempt to make a contribution engaging students in this debate and get to know them afresh, thereby understand their position, what their perception is about their role in the governance of their institutions. For this purpose the study used phenomenology as the method of research. The reason for that I wanted a methodology which will enable me to produce a report which would not be contaminated with my preconceived ideas about the phenomenon. The tool used for data-gathering was the interview. In-depth interviews were conducted with four student leaders. They were selected purposely due to the fact that they were involved in the governance of their various institutions. The study revealed the complexity of this phenomenon. It indicates that student involvement is crucial for harmonious relations to prevail and the creation of a climate of learning and teaching at educational institutions. Students saw their role as that of legitimising the process of decision-making. This is coupled with enforcing the management to be transparent, bringing back the rule of law, making sure that educational institutions are transformed, that students are empowered and capacitated and looking at the welfare of students. A recommendation that emerge from the study is that much investigation is needed on student participation. Areas which needed much attention are specified in the study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1999
Contents : 3 projects
- Authors: Mtongana, Lindile
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: Teachers -- In-service training School management and organization -- Parent participation Education and state -- South Africa Educational law and legislation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1462 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003343
- Description: This project comprises a case study that I conducted at New Horizon High School in Butterworth, a school with a good reputation for its excellent academic standard. It is about Staff Development, which I have identified as the most vital component of effective teaching. Although there is a need to ensure that there is an adequate supply of teachers in schools, the greatest challenge lies in the development of the quality of those who are already in service. This enormous challenge seems to have been forgotten by many school leaders. I hope this study will be beneficial to school principals and teachers who want to be successful in their teaching careers in the 21st century.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1999
- Authors: Mtongana, Lindile
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: Teachers -- In-service training School management and organization -- Parent participation Education and state -- South Africa Educational law and legislation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1462 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003343
- Description: This project comprises a case study that I conducted at New Horizon High School in Butterworth, a school with a good reputation for its excellent academic standard. It is about Staff Development, which I have identified as the most vital component of effective teaching. Although there is a need to ensure that there is an adequate supply of teachers in schools, the greatest challenge lies in the development of the quality of those who are already in service. This enormous challenge seems to have been forgotten by many school leaders. I hope this study will be beneficial to school principals and teachers who want to be successful in their teaching careers in the 21st century.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1999
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