An assessment of the management of the quality of Education and its impact on Learners’ academic performance in selected Schools in Mthatha, South Africa
- Authors: Kariyana, Israel
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Quality education -- Schools -- South Africa Academic performance -- Learners -- South Africa -- Mthatha School management – Teaching and learning School management team (SMT)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , D Ed
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/1302 , vital:30800
- Description: The study sought to assess the impact on learners‘ academic performance of the management of the quality of education in South African schools. The study was conducted in ten independent and ten public schools in Mthatha. The study elicited information for quantitative data from 60 school management team (SMT) members, 200 educators and 400 learners who were randomly sampled from the participating purposively sampled schools. Qualitative data and document analysis were used to triangulate quantitative findings. Data collected was coded and analysed thematically. Quantitative data were analysed with the aid of the SPSS version 22 and qualitative data were analysed through content analysis. Quantitative data were presented through a blend of both descriptive and inferential statistics using tables and graphs. The study found that school management teams (SMTs) and educators were more aware than learners that there are national and provincial legislation mandates that guide the management of quality in education. However, stakeholders were of the view that schools did not use relevant national, provincial and school-based policies and procedures to guide the provision and management of quality in education. It also emerged that learners did not conduct themselves in a manner that promoted the provision of quality education. Participants were, nevertheless agreeable on the indicators of high-quality education. SMTs and educators held stronger views than learners about schools having clear vision and mission statements (VMS) in place but neither were displayed for all to see nor were they well known to and supported by the ii SMTs, educators and learners, thus they were not implemented. The study also established that respondents were aware of the educator-centred, SMT-centred as well as learner-centred factors that affected the quality of education and that factors that promote high-quality education were largely absent in schools. Stakeholders also agreed about the effects of factors that affected the quality of education on learner performance such as poor training and development of educators. It emerged that there were positive SMT-centred factors such as promoting professional development of staff; educator-centred factors including maintaining exceptional lesson planning standards and presentation skills; learner-centred factors being geared towards school work while high parental involvement in school activities emerged as the overriding home-based factor noted to have a strong, positive impact on the provision of quality education and learner performance. It also emerged from the study that inter-alia, stakeholders viewed performance measurement and management as important and holding SMTs and educators accountable for poor school performance as an imperative measure for the provision of quality education. Recommendations for practice and for further research were made with a view to improving the management of the quality of education in schools. In light of that, a model for the management of the quality of education and learner performance was proposed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Kariyana, Israel
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Quality education -- Schools -- South Africa Academic performance -- Learners -- South Africa -- Mthatha School management – Teaching and learning School management team (SMT)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , D Ed
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/1302 , vital:30800
- Description: The study sought to assess the impact on learners‘ academic performance of the management of the quality of education in South African schools. The study was conducted in ten independent and ten public schools in Mthatha. The study elicited information for quantitative data from 60 school management team (SMT) members, 200 educators and 400 learners who were randomly sampled from the participating purposively sampled schools. Qualitative data and document analysis were used to triangulate quantitative findings. Data collected was coded and analysed thematically. Quantitative data were analysed with the aid of the SPSS version 22 and qualitative data were analysed through content analysis. Quantitative data were presented through a blend of both descriptive and inferential statistics using tables and graphs. The study found that school management teams (SMTs) and educators were more aware than learners that there are national and provincial legislation mandates that guide the management of quality in education. However, stakeholders were of the view that schools did not use relevant national, provincial and school-based policies and procedures to guide the provision and management of quality in education. It also emerged that learners did not conduct themselves in a manner that promoted the provision of quality education. Participants were, nevertheless agreeable on the indicators of high-quality education. SMTs and educators held stronger views than learners about schools having clear vision and mission statements (VMS) in place but neither were displayed for all to see nor were they well known to and supported by the ii SMTs, educators and learners, thus they were not implemented. The study also established that respondents were aware of the educator-centred, SMT-centred as well as learner-centred factors that affected the quality of education and that factors that promote high-quality education were largely absent in schools. Stakeholders also agreed about the effects of factors that affected the quality of education on learner performance such as poor training and development of educators. It emerged that there were positive SMT-centred factors such as promoting professional development of staff; educator-centred factors including maintaining exceptional lesson planning standards and presentation skills; learner-centred factors being geared towards school work while high parental involvement in school activities emerged as the overriding home-based factor noted to have a strong, positive impact on the provision of quality education and learner performance. It also emerged from the study that inter-alia, stakeholders viewed performance measurement and management as important and holding SMTs and educators accountable for poor school performance as an imperative measure for the provision of quality education. Recommendations for practice and for further research were made with a view to improving the management of the quality of education in schools. In light of that, a model for the management of the quality of education and learner performance was proposed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Challenges faced by Teachers in applying reading strategies when teaching English reading in the foundation phase in the Mthatha District
- Authors: Cweba, Vuyokazi
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Reading(Foundation phase) English language -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , D Ed
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/856 , vital:29938
- Description: This study sought to investigate challenges faced by teachers in applying reading strategies when teaching reading in the Foundation Phase in the Mthatha District in South Africa. The study was conducted at Four Junior Secondary Schools. It was prompted by a deep concern about challenges faced by teachers in applying reading strategies required in the Foundation Phase. While studies have been carried out on applying reading strategies in the Foundation Phase, few studies have looked at the factors impacting on reading in South African schools, especially in the Mthatha District where isiXhosa is the mother tongue. The method used in this study involved a qualitative approach. The study addressed the following research questions: What strategies are used in the Foundation Phase? What type of challenges are faced by teachers? To what extent are educators trained to teach reading in the Foundation Phase? Does the lack of resources affect the performance of learners? To what extent does the use of a second language affect the performance of Foundation Phase learners? Do teachers receive enough support from the Department of Education to teach reading? The study is a multiple-case study and data were collected through individual interviews and focus group interviews (sixteen teachers were interviewed). Content analysis guided the data analysis through themes derived from the subsidiary questions. Data reporting took the form of thick description and verbatim quotations in line with the qualitative approach of the study. A pilot study was conducted in two Junior Secondary Schools for the purpose of validity and reliability. ii The study`s findings revealed that: Different reading strategies were used by teachers in the Foundation Phase, teachers faced many challenges in applying reading strategies such as teacher training in the teaching of reading. This suggests that intervention is needed by the Department of Education such as providing relevant resources which are essential in order to address the problem of reading. Improvisation by teachers to improve reading material, insufficient allocation of time, multilingualism, teacher competence, lack of motivation and parental involvement in relation to learner performance in reading all need attention in order to solve problems. Furthermore, lack of resources hinders the reading ability of learners. The use of home language as a medium of instruction in teaching reading is highlighted. There is insufficient support by the Department of Education for Foundation Phase teachers to teach reading. Based on the study findings, the researcher has recommended that teachers should be urged to use reading strategies in a way that benefits learners. The use of reading strategies, therefore, needs more attention. Libraries should be built in these schools to enable learners to develop a culture of reading. Education development officers, subject advisors, lead teachers and parents should work together to improve the reading ability of Foundation Phase learners.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Cweba, Vuyokazi
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Reading(Foundation phase) English language -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , D Ed
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/856 , vital:29938
- Description: This study sought to investigate challenges faced by teachers in applying reading strategies when teaching reading in the Foundation Phase in the Mthatha District in South Africa. The study was conducted at Four Junior Secondary Schools. It was prompted by a deep concern about challenges faced by teachers in applying reading strategies required in the Foundation Phase. While studies have been carried out on applying reading strategies in the Foundation Phase, few studies have looked at the factors impacting on reading in South African schools, especially in the Mthatha District where isiXhosa is the mother tongue. The method used in this study involved a qualitative approach. The study addressed the following research questions: What strategies are used in the Foundation Phase? What type of challenges are faced by teachers? To what extent are educators trained to teach reading in the Foundation Phase? Does the lack of resources affect the performance of learners? To what extent does the use of a second language affect the performance of Foundation Phase learners? Do teachers receive enough support from the Department of Education to teach reading? The study is a multiple-case study and data were collected through individual interviews and focus group interviews (sixteen teachers were interviewed). Content analysis guided the data analysis through themes derived from the subsidiary questions. Data reporting took the form of thick description and verbatim quotations in line with the qualitative approach of the study. A pilot study was conducted in two Junior Secondary Schools for the purpose of validity and reliability. ii The study`s findings revealed that: Different reading strategies were used by teachers in the Foundation Phase, teachers faced many challenges in applying reading strategies such as teacher training in the teaching of reading. This suggests that intervention is needed by the Department of Education such as providing relevant resources which are essential in order to address the problem of reading. Improvisation by teachers to improve reading material, insufficient allocation of time, multilingualism, teacher competence, lack of motivation and parental involvement in relation to learner performance in reading all need attention in order to solve problems. Furthermore, lack of resources hinders the reading ability of learners. The use of home language as a medium of instruction in teaching reading is highlighted. There is insufficient support by the Department of Education for Foundation Phase teachers to teach reading. Based on the study findings, the researcher has recommended that teachers should be urged to use reading strategies in a way that benefits learners. The use of reading strategies, therefore, needs more attention. Libraries should be built in these schools to enable learners to develop a culture of reading. Education development officers, subject advisors, lead teachers and parents should work together to improve the reading ability of Foundation Phase learners.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Working Towards Improved Facilitation of Research Capacity Development at Walter Sisulu University (WSU) Using Action Research (AR) Methodology
- Sotshangane, Nkosinathi Owen
- Authors: Sotshangane, Nkosinathi Owen
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Capacity development -- Research Research -- Higher education Research development -- Study and teaching -- South Africa Education, higher -- Action Research -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , D Ed
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/901 , vital:30009
- Description: This study was originally undertaken to change and improve the way I do my practice at Walter Sisulu University as a Research Associate whose responsibility is to facilitate research capacity development and research excellence within the University, amongst academics and postgraduate students. The success of the Research Resource Centre that I manage depends on the way I promote research culture and research productivity amongst academics and postgraduate students. According to Leedy and Ormrod (2013, p. 2), research is a systematic process that is used to collect, analyse, and interpret data in order to increase my understanding of the phenomenon about interest and concern about a given/identified phenomenon. In this case my own practice changed and improved for the better. The main objective of this study, therefore, was to examine the reasons behind the decline in research productivity in terms of research output and how this could be reversed through action research study intervention in order to enhance research productivity at Walter Sisulu University (WSU). The Department of Higher Education and Training’s (DHET) allocation of research output units for WSU indicated that there was a decline in research output from 2005 to 2010. The extent to which my practice improvement could contribute towards changing or improving research productivity was a question which this study addressed through a quantitative, qualitative and self-reflective action research cyclic inquiry. I organized sample strategies of this study as follows: For quantitative data, I used 120 lecturers as my respondents through questionnaires (females = 47 and males = 73) who were randomly selected; For qualitative data, I used 24 lecturers as respondents who were randomly selected with whom I conducted interviews; and For self-reflective action research cyclic inquiry I used 7 Transformative Education/al Studies (TES) project group members as my focus group. My research findings concluded that the heavy teaching workload at WSU was problematic and lecturers/academics could not devote time to do research. My recommendation is that research should be made compulsory so that academics become aware that at least one or two published articles are required from them, for the benefit of annual university research productivity. Some research participants also recommended that the Research Resource Centre must include programs that focus directly on active participation in research in order to increase the capacity of individual researchers so as to build a critical mass of competent researchers, perhaps by even including incentives as a reward for doing research. According to Koshy (2010), action research is a specific method of conducting research by professionals and practitioners with the ultimate aim of improving practice. My new knowledge, therefore, in respect of how a concerned Research Associate, from a Historically Disadvantaged Institution (HDI), provided the impetus to create a collaborative practice in a higher education institution which was forced to merge with two former technikons (which lacked understanding of what a university means by research productivity and research output). I consequently developed the Nkosinathi Sotshangane’s cyclic practice improvement model through self-reflective action research, from which I believed other research practitioners could learn by doing something similar in their own context.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Sotshangane, Nkosinathi Owen
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Capacity development -- Research Research -- Higher education Research development -- Study and teaching -- South Africa Education, higher -- Action Research -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , D Ed
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/901 , vital:30009
- Description: This study was originally undertaken to change and improve the way I do my practice at Walter Sisulu University as a Research Associate whose responsibility is to facilitate research capacity development and research excellence within the University, amongst academics and postgraduate students. The success of the Research Resource Centre that I manage depends on the way I promote research culture and research productivity amongst academics and postgraduate students. According to Leedy and Ormrod (2013, p. 2), research is a systematic process that is used to collect, analyse, and interpret data in order to increase my understanding of the phenomenon about interest and concern about a given/identified phenomenon. In this case my own practice changed and improved for the better. The main objective of this study, therefore, was to examine the reasons behind the decline in research productivity in terms of research output and how this could be reversed through action research study intervention in order to enhance research productivity at Walter Sisulu University (WSU). The Department of Higher Education and Training’s (DHET) allocation of research output units for WSU indicated that there was a decline in research output from 2005 to 2010. The extent to which my practice improvement could contribute towards changing or improving research productivity was a question which this study addressed through a quantitative, qualitative and self-reflective action research cyclic inquiry. I organized sample strategies of this study as follows: For quantitative data, I used 120 lecturers as my respondents through questionnaires (females = 47 and males = 73) who were randomly selected; For qualitative data, I used 24 lecturers as respondents who were randomly selected with whom I conducted interviews; and For self-reflective action research cyclic inquiry I used 7 Transformative Education/al Studies (TES) project group members as my focus group. My research findings concluded that the heavy teaching workload at WSU was problematic and lecturers/academics could not devote time to do research. My recommendation is that research should be made compulsory so that academics become aware that at least one or two published articles are required from them, for the benefit of annual university research productivity. Some research participants also recommended that the Research Resource Centre must include programs that focus directly on active participation in research in order to increase the capacity of individual researchers so as to build a critical mass of competent researchers, perhaps by even including incentives as a reward for doing research. According to Koshy (2010), action research is a specific method of conducting research by professionals and practitioners with the ultimate aim of improving practice. My new knowledge, therefore, in respect of how a concerned Research Associate, from a Historically Disadvantaged Institution (HDI), provided the impetus to create a collaborative practice in a higher education institution which was forced to merge with two former technikons (which lacked understanding of what a university means by research productivity and research output). I consequently developed the Nkosinathi Sotshangane’s cyclic practice improvement model through self-reflective action research, from which I believed other research practitioners could learn by doing something similar in their own context.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- «
- ‹
- 1
- ›
- »