A critical investigation into the managerial implications of inclusive education
- Authors: Cloete, Sanet
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: School management and organization -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1477 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003358
- Description: Special needs education has always provided special challenges to school administrators, policy makers and teachers. The world-wide move towards inclusive education as an alternative to exclusive education or casual mainstreaming has resulted in significant developments in Namibia in the past decade. Global educational reforms have focused on education for all as well as inclusive education and Namibia is signatory to several conventions and declarations in this regard. Research in this field has largely focused on the role of the inclusive teacher, and of course the special needs of the learners. Little or no attention has been paid to possible managerial and organisational challenges which accompany the move to inclusive education. This thesis seeks to critically investigate the managerial implications of inclusive education. The focal point of this research is to gain a clear understanding of the managerial implications in an inclusive school for learners with visual impairment, chiefly through an exploration of the experiences of management members of the inclusive process. The research is located within a qualitative research paradigm, which is subsumed by a phenomenological model. The data gathered through in-depth interviews include many anecdotal accounts that provide insight into the ways respondents reacted to experiences at the inclusive school. The main findings of the research are highlighted and discussed. Recommendations arising from a critical analysis of these main findings are presented.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Cloete, Sanet
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: School management and organization -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1477 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003358
- Description: Special needs education has always provided special challenges to school administrators, policy makers and teachers. The world-wide move towards inclusive education as an alternative to exclusive education or casual mainstreaming has resulted in significant developments in Namibia in the past decade. Global educational reforms have focused on education for all as well as inclusive education and Namibia is signatory to several conventions and declarations in this regard. Research in this field has largely focused on the role of the inclusive teacher, and of course the special needs of the learners. Little or no attention has been paid to possible managerial and organisational challenges which accompany the move to inclusive education. This thesis seeks to critically investigate the managerial implications of inclusive education. The focal point of this research is to gain a clear understanding of the managerial implications in an inclusive school for learners with visual impairment, chiefly through an exploration of the experiences of management members of the inclusive process. The research is located within a qualitative research paradigm, which is subsumed by a phenomenological model. The data gathered through in-depth interviews include many anecdotal accounts that provide insight into the ways respondents reacted to experiences at the inclusive school. The main findings of the research are highlighted and discussed. Recommendations arising from a critical analysis of these main findings are presented.
- Full Text:
A phenomenological investigation of Windhoek Senior Secondary school principals' perceptions and experiences of their leadership roles
- Authors: Boys, Ben
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: School principals -- Namibia Educational leadership -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1700 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003583
- Description: Namibia, having been a former colony of South Africa, was equally subjected to apartheid laws and practices. Independence, achieved in March 1990, signaled the dawn of a new era of access, equity, quality and democracy in the Namibian education sector. A unified system of educational administration, management, and control was established. The whole educational corps, especially the principals of all our schools, is expected to implement this new system as agents of change. In terms of the vision for a new Namibia, therefore, school principals are seen as occupying positions of central importance. This notion resonates strongly with recent and contemporary leadership thinking. However, a number of concerns prevalent in schools - particularly, increasing student underperformance, worsening disciplinary problems, increasing teenage pregnancy and HIV/AIDS pandemic, teacher qualification, decreasing teacher motivation, lack of training including induction for principals, inadequate support from the top (lack of a support system) and insufficient parental involvement in school matters – make the task of running schools extremely challenging and increasingly complex. How do principals experience these challenges and deal with the complex situations? How do they perceive their role, particularly in light of national aspirations and leadership theory? These are questions I think need to be explored. My research goal was to gain an understanding of Windhoek senior secondary school principals’ perceptions and experiences of their leadership role. My focus was on three purposively selected Windhoek senior secondary school principals representative of both the Namibian ethno-cultural diversity and gender. Data was collected through interviews. I found that the situations in which the principals found themselves during the pre- and post independent periods mainly determined their leadership style and behaviour, however, that did not deter their vision for the transformation of the society, as the ultimate objective and essence of their leadership. The appropriate practicing of their leadership role was being hampered by lack of induction and training, lack of a support system and insufficient parental involvement.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Boys, Ben
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: School principals -- Namibia Educational leadership -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1700 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003583
- Description: Namibia, having been a former colony of South Africa, was equally subjected to apartheid laws and practices. Independence, achieved in March 1990, signaled the dawn of a new era of access, equity, quality and democracy in the Namibian education sector. A unified system of educational administration, management, and control was established. The whole educational corps, especially the principals of all our schools, is expected to implement this new system as agents of change. In terms of the vision for a new Namibia, therefore, school principals are seen as occupying positions of central importance. This notion resonates strongly with recent and contemporary leadership thinking. However, a number of concerns prevalent in schools - particularly, increasing student underperformance, worsening disciplinary problems, increasing teenage pregnancy and HIV/AIDS pandemic, teacher qualification, decreasing teacher motivation, lack of training including induction for principals, inadequate support from the top (lack of a support system) and insufficient parental involvement in school matters – make the task of running schools extremely challenging and increasingly complex. How do principals experience these challenges and deal with the complex situations? How do they perceive their role, particularly in light of national aspirations and leadership theory? These are questions I think need to be explored. My research goal was to gain an understanding of Windhoek senior secondary school principals’ perceptions and experiences of their leadership role. My focus was on three purposively selected Windhoek senior secondary school principals representative of both the Namibian ethno-cultural diversity and gender. Data was collected through interviews. I found that the situations in which the principals found themselves during the pre- and post independent periods mainly determined their leadership style and behaviour, however, that did not deter their vision for the transformation of the society, as the ultimate objective and essence of their leadership. The appropriate practicing of their leadership role was being hampered by lack of induction and training, lack of a support system and insufficient parental involvement.
- Full Text:
An investigation of the management and leadership experiences of female school principals in the Ondangwa education regions
- Authors: Udjombala, Maria
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Women school principals -- Namibia -- Ondangwa Educational leadership -- Namibia -- Ondangwa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1653 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003536
- Description: This study explores practical school leadership and management, as enacted by women. The study, conducted in an interpretive paradigm, attempts to gain an understanding of women’s subjective experiences of school leadership and management. Two women principals from Ondangwa West Educational Region were interviewed. The two were selected through consultations with one of the senior inspectors in the region. Both had been principals for more than ten years and were seen by those who are concerned with their school to be successful. The study found that these women prefer a participative style of leadership and management, characterised by consultations with others, teamwork, collaborative decision-making and the use of power to empower others. They also strive for good human relationships because they believe that it fosters mutual respect, trust, openness and a good working atmosphere. All these human centred approaches are directed towards creating a school atmosphere that is conducive to teaching and learning and therefore result in effective schooling and quality educational outcomes. They do not experience gender discrimination in their work places. They have the full support of their supervisors. Though both are married with children, these dual roles do not prevent them from being successful in their professional work. In fact they have reached a stage where they feel confident as leaders and feel that they are acting as role models for fellow women principals and those aspiring to this position. The study concludes that the styles of leadership and management displayed by women are similar to those that are universally accepted as characteristics needed for effective school management and leadership. Though these leadership styles are traditionally associated with women, these characteristics are not gender specific. Therefore it will be in the best interest of schools, if school principals, both men and women, could borrow from these qualities in order to change schools from authoritarian to more democratic institutions.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Udjombala, Maria
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Women school principals -- Namibia -- Ondangwa Educational leadership -- Namibia -- Ondangwa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1653 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003536
- Description: This study explores practical school leadership and management, as enacted by women. The study, conducted in an interpretive paradigm, attempts to gain an understanding of women’s subjective experiences of school leadership and management. Two women principals from Ondangwa West Educational Region were interviewed. The two were selected through consultations with one of the senior inspectors in the region. Both had been principals for more than ten years and were seen by those who are concerned with their school to be successful. The study found that these women prefer a participative style of leadership and management, characterised by consultations with others, teamwork, collaborative decision-making and the use of power to empower others. They also strive for good human relationships because they believe that it fosters mutual respect, trust, openness and a good working atmosphere. All these human centred approaches are directed towards creating a school atmosphere that is conducive to teaching and learning and therefore result in effective schooling and quality educational outcomes. They do not experience gender discrimination in their work places. They have the full support of their supervisors. Though both are married with children, these dual roles do not prevent them from being successful in their professional work. In fact they have reached a stage where they feel confident as leaders and feel that they are acting as role models for fellow women principals and those aspiring to this position. The study concludes that the styles of leadership and management displayed by women are similar to those that are universally accepted as characteristics needed for effective school management and leadership. Though these leadership styles are traditionally associated with women, these characteristics are not gender specific. Therefore it will be in the best interest of schools, if school principals, both men and women, could borrow from these qualities in order to change schools from authoritarian to more democratic institutions.
- Full Text:
Leaders' and participants' perceptions of the management of the Life Science Project in Namibia
- Authors: Kirkegaard, Niels Hugo
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Life Science Project (Namibia) Educational leadership Educational leadership -- Namibia School management and organization School management and organization -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1662 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003545
- Description: After Independence in 1991, Namibia embarked on implementing a new and different educational system. This system was seen as a radical departure from the old apartheid system. The Namibian government approached Ibis, a Danish NGO, to support the change process by establishing and developing a new subject, life science, in Junior Secondary schools in Namibia through the Life Science Project (LSP). In a project of this nature, where a foreign (Danish) educational intervention in a relatively young and new democracy is the issue, cross-cultural aspects are likely to emerge, and these are the focus of this study. This half-thesis is an attempt to illuminate, not to evaluate, managerial as well as cross-cultural features of the project based on perceptions of selected Danish managers and Namibian advisory teachers from the former LSP expressed in the goal of the research: - To explore selected leaders’ and participants’ perception of the management of the Life Science Project. In line with this goal, I elected to conduct the research in the interpretive paradigm, using unstructured interviews as my chief source of data. The findings illuminate what would appear to be an inconsistency in the management of the project. The project seemed to be able to accommodate regional and even personal differences and to be flexible to internal changes. At the same time it appears that in its relationship to the external or task environment it did not show the same openness and flexibility to accommodate diversity. It is suggested that this could be a result of the apparent failure on the part of the project to clarify its own underlying values. The study also reveals interesting and unexpected perceptions of leadership, which may also be interpreted in terms of cultural values and beliefs. These two features of managerial issues could lead one to reflect upon the importance of recognising values in organisations which work across cultures.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Kirkegaard, Niels Hugo
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Life Science Project (Namibia) Educational leadership Educational leadership -- Namibia School management and organization School management and organization -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1662 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003545
- Description: After Independence in 1991, Namibia embarked on implementing a new and different educational system. This system was seen as a radical departure from the old apartheid system. The Namibian government approached Ibis, a Danish NGO, to support the change process by establishing and developing a new subject, life science, in Junior Secondary schools in Namibia through the Life Science Project (LSP). In a project of this nature, where a foreign (Danish) educational intervention in a relatively young and new democracy is the issue, cross-cultural aspects are likely to emerge, and these are the focus of this study. This half-thesis is an attempt to illuminate, not to evaluate, managerial as well as cross-cultural features of the project based on perceptions of selected Danish managers and Namibian advisory teachers from the former LSP expressed in the goal of the research: - To explore selected leaders’ and participants’ perception of the management of the Life Science Project. In line with this goal, I elected to conduct the research in the interpretive paradigm, using unstructured interviews as my chief source of data. The findings illuminate what would appear to be an inconsistency in the management of the project. The project seemed to be able to accommodate regional and even personal differences and to be flexible to internal changes. At the same time it appears that in its relationship to the external or task environment it did not show the same openness and flexibility to accommodate diversity. It is suggested that this could be a result of the apparent failure on the part of the project to clarify its own underlying values. The study also reveals interesting and unexpected perceptions of leadership, which may also be interpreted in terms of cultural values and beliefs. These two features of managerial issues could lead one to reflect upon the importance of recognising values in organisations which work across cultures.
- Full Text:
- «
- ‹
- 1
- ›
- »