Education District Office support for teaching and learning in schools: the case of two districts in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Mavuso, Mzuyanda Percival
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Schools -- Development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Educational change -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School management teams -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School administrators -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School supervision -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School improvement programs -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Educational leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Educational evaluation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Education)
- Identifier: vital:16194 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006259 , Schools -- Development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Educational change -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School management teams -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School administrators -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School supervision -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School improvement programs -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Educational leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Educational evaluation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The idea of district support for schools is based on the view that local education offices are best placed to play a critical role in the promotion of quality teaching and learning. In performing this mandate whose characterisation has, over time, moved away from ‘inspection’ and ‘supervision’ both of which are seen as old fashioned and undemocratic, to support, which is seen as developmental. The aim of this study was to understand how three categories of district based officers, Subject Advisors, Integrated Quality Management System Coordinators and Education Development Officers support teaching and learning in schools. This was a case study of two districts in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. A total of six district officials and four school based officials participated in this study. In-depth interviews and document analysis were carried out. There were four main findings. First, support for schools by three district based officials was understood and practiced as administrative tasks, mainly consisting of monitoring policy implementation and monitoring resource provision to schools. School Management Teams saw district officers’ visits as focussing on compliance rather than support. Second, some pedagogical support was given by Subject Advisors through training teachers in subject content and methods of teaching that subject. This was done through workshops and demonstration lessons. However Subject Advisors did not at any time observe actual classroom teaching to see if teachers were implementing what they had learnt at workshops. Third, none of the officers mentioned direct support for teaching and learning at classroom level. Visits by officials were not directly linked to influencing teaching and learning classroom level. Fourth, schools saw district officials as working in separate pockets and sometimes sending different signals to them, despite claims by district officials that inter-disciplinary meetings were held among district officials, however, the nature of the coordination and the use to which it is put remains unclear. There were three main conclusions, first that although the district officials’ visits to schools were described as support, they exhibited the trappings of technicism of inspection; supervision and control; and appeared to neglect the developmental aspects implied in the notion of support. Second, the conception and practice of support visits by district officials were characterised by tension between support and control. Third, at district level support to schools lacked coordination among the three categories of officers who visit schools. This has implications for quality management in schools. Given the findings and conclusions of this study; it is recommended that the issue of support for schools be the focus of a survey research for which a probability sample must be drawn in order to generate findings that are generalisable across the participating target population. Other research could focus on investigating mechanisms by which the tension between support and control can be resolved. To improve practice of a framework for the development of a coordinated district support focusing on the core business of teaching and learning is suggested.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Mavuso, Mzuyanda Percival
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Schools -- Development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Educational change -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School management teams -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School administrators -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School supervision -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School improvement programs -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Educational leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Educational evaluation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Education)
- Identifier: vital:16194 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006259 , Schools -- Development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Educational change -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School management teams -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School administrators -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School supervision -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School improvement programs -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Educational leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Educational evaluation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The idea of district support for schools is based on the view that local education offices are best placed to play a critical role in the promotion of quality teaching and learning. In performing this mandate whose characterisation has, over time, moved away from ‘inspection’ and ‘supervision’ both of which are seen as old fashioned and undemocratic, to support, which is seen as developmental. The aim of this study was to understand how three categories of district based officers, Subject Advisors, Integrated Quality Management System Coordinators and Education Development Officers support teaching and learning in schools. This was a case study of two districts in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. A total of six district officials and four school based officials participated in this study. In-depth interviews and document analysis were carried out. There were four main findings. First, support for schools by three district based officials was understood and practiced as administrative tasks, mainly consisting of monitoring policy implementation and monitoring resource provision to schools. School Management Teams saw district officers’ visits as focussing on compliance rather than support. Second, some pedagogical support was given by Subject Advisors through training teachers in subject content and methods of teaching that subject. This was done through workshops and demonstration lessons. However Subject Advisors did not at any time observe actual classroom teaching to see if teachers were implementing what they had learnt at workshops. Third, none of the officers mentioned direct support for teaching and learning at classroom level. Visits by officials were not directly linked to influencing teaching and learning classroom level. Fourth, schools saw district officials as working in separate pockets and sometimes sending different signals to them, despite claims by district officials that inter-disciplinary meetings were held among district officials, however, the nature of the coordination and the use to which it is put remains unclear. There were three main conclusions, first that although the district officials’ visits to schools were described as support, they exhibited the trappings of technicism of inspection; supervision and control; and appeared to neglect the developmental aspects implied in the notion of support. Second, the conception and practice of support visits by district officials were characterised by tension between support and control. Third, at district level support to schools lacked coordination among the three categories of officers who visit schools. This has implications for quality management in schools. Given the findings and conclusions of this study; it is recommended that the issue of support for schools be the focus of a survey research for which a probability sample must be drawn in order to generate findings that are generalisable across the participating target population. Other research could focus on investigating mechanisms by which the tension between support and control can be resolved. To improve practice of a framework for the development of a coordinated district support focusing on the core business of teaching and learning is suggested.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Exploring pedagogical innovation in core curriculum serving first year students in a South African University
- Authors: Porteus, Kimberley Ann
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: College students -- South Africa , Educational change -- South Africa , Education, Higher -- Standards -- South Africa , School improvement programs -- South Africa , Educational evaluation -- South Africa , Curriculum change -- South Africa , Curriculum evaluation -- South Africa , Education -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Education)
- Identifier: vital:16192 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006254 , College students -- South Africa , Educational change -- South Africa , Education, Higher -- Standards -- South Africa , School improvement programs -- South Africa , Educational evaluation -- South Africa , Curriculum change -- South Africa , Curriculum evaluation -- South Africa , Education -- Study and teaching
- Description: This study explores the potential for critical pedagogical innovation to expand student learning activity, meaning making and learning agency of first year undergraduate students. The study is located in a larger critical project. Rather than looking to support ‘unprepared’ students to better adapt to the current culture of higher education, the larger critical project looks to the generative potential of new students to elaborate the structure of higher education itself over time. The study emanates from a process of reflective self-critique of one higher education institution in South Africa serving a student population with little access to educational advantage. The emerging critique was located at the interface of institutional practice, student learning activity and the meaning making processes mediating the two domains. This critique gave birth to the pedagogical innovation at the centre of this study. The pedagogical innovation took the form of an activity system, with three sets of pedagogical tools mediating the system: tools to expand the learning practice of students, symbolic tools to expand the critical meaning making toolkit available, and tools designed to build a new learning community better aligned with interactive learning activity. This study is an intervention case study, theoretically grounded in the work of activity and socio-cultural theorists. The pedagogy was embedded within a semester long credit-bearing core course for entering first year students. The study follows the experience of the 652 students participating in the 2010 pilot experience. Upwards of 70% of students suggest that their reading (76%) and writing (71%) practice had changed by the end of the course. Over 80% indicated that the course made them better readers (85%) and writers (84%.) Students suggest that they read and write more and enjoy reading and writing more. They suggest that as motive expanded, activity of reading and writing expanded, complimentary activity expanded (e.g. expression and critical engagement), and participation across a number of domains expanded. Students with less historical access to educational advantage made stronger claims about the pedagogical toolkit than students with more access to educational advantage. This study suggests that under the right conditions, critical pedagogy focusing on student learning activity and meaning making can expand learning practice and meaning making of first year undergraduate students, contributing to an expanding claim on learning agency. It tentatively suggests that this type of learning architecture is well aligned for appropriation of students with less access to historical socio-educational learning privilege, but remains sensitive to the situated nature of historic disadvantage (for example, in campus sites.) The study points to the specific potential of three toolkits: toolkits to mediate expanded learning activity, toolkits to expand meaning making, and toolkits designed to directly reconstitute the learning community itself. The study concludes by extracting some lessons for critical pedagogical innovation serving first year studies into the future. It points to the importance of the domain of learning activity and meaning making, and suggests the kind of changes within the culture of higher education required to better unleash innovation in this area. It points to the generative potential of methods that better combine students and lecturers within pedagogical innovation processes. The study concludes by pointing to the relatively unoccupied area of critical research, whereby the work to expand the learning activity of first year students is aligned to the potential of students to elaborate the structure of higher education itself over time. The study points to three specific research areas: research building stronger pedagogical tools for first year students; research to better understand the critical meaning making project of students; and research to better understand the transformation of the pedagogical inheritance within higher education.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Porteus, Kimberley Ann
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: College students -- South Africa , Educational change -- South Africa , Education, Higher -- Standards -- South Africa , School improvement programs -- South Africa , Educational evaluation -- South Africa , Curriculum change -- South Africa , Curriculum evaluation -- South Africa , Education -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Education)
- Identifier: vital:16192 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006254 , College students -- South Africa , Educational change -- South Africa , Education, Higher -- Standards -- South Africa , School improvement programs -- South Africa , Educational evaluation -- South Africa , Curriculum change -- South Africa , Curriculum evaluation -- South Africa , Education -- Study and teaching
- Description: This study explores the potential for critical pedagogical innovation to expand student learning activity, meaning making and learning agency of first year undergraduate students. The study is located in a larger critical project. Rather than looking to support ‘unprepared’ students to better adapt to the current culture of higher education, the larger critical project looks to the generative potential of new students to elaborate the structure of higher education itself over time. The study emanates from a process of reflective self-critique of one higher education institution in South Africa serving a student population with little access to educational advantage. The emerging critique was located at the interface of institutional practice, student learning activity and the meaning making processes mediating the two domains. This critique gave birth to the pedagogical innovation at the centre of this study. The pedagogical innovation took the form of an activity system, with three sets of pedagogical tools mediating the system: tools to expand the learning practice of students, symbolic tools to expand the critical meaning making toolkit available, and tools designed to build a new learning community better aligned with interactive learning activity. This study is an intervention case study, theoretically grounded in the work of activity and socio-cultural theorists. The pedagogy was embedded within a semester long credit-bearing core course for entering first year students. The study follows the experience of the 652 students participating in the 2010 pilot experience. Upwards of 70% of students suggest that their reading (76%) and writing (71%) practice had changed by the end of the course. Over 80% indicated that the course made them better readers (85%) and writers (84%.) Students suggest that they read and write more and enjoy reading and writing more. They suggest that as motive expanded, activity of reading and writing expanded, complimentary activity expanded (e.g. expression and critical engagement), and participation across a number of domains expanded. Students with less historical access to educational advantage made stronger claims about the pedagogical toolkit than students with more access to educational advantage. This study suggests that under the right conditions, critical pedagogy focusing on student learning activity and meaning making can expand learning practice and meaning making of first year undergraduate students, contributing to an expanding claim on learning agency. It tentatively suggests that this type of learning architecture is well aligned for appropriation of students with less access to historical socio-educational learning privilege, but remains sensitive to the situated nature of historic disadvantage (for example, in campus sites.) The study points to the specific potential of three toolkits: toolkits to mediate expanded learning activity, toolkits to expand meaning making, and toolkits designed to directly reconstitute the learning community itself. The study concludes by extracting some lessons for critical pedagogical innovation serving first year studies into the future. It points to the importance of the domain of learning activity and meaning making, and suggests the kind of changes within the culture of higher education required to better unleash innovation in this area. It points to the generative potential of methods that better combine students and lecturers within pedagogical innovation processes. The study concludes by pointing to the relatively unoccupied area of critical research, whereby the work to expand the learning activity of first year students is aligned to the potential of students to elaborate the structure of higher education itself over time. The study points to three specific research areas: research building stronger pedagogical tools for first year students; research to better understand the critical meaning making project of students; and research to better understand the transformation of the pedagogical inheritance within higher education.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
The re-invention of the Integrated Quality Management System towards continuous quality improvement: a case study of four primary schools in the Buffalo City Metropolitan area
- Authors: Pylman, Johannes Nicholas
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Education)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1410 , vital:26553
- Description: Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) consists of three policies, namely; the Developmental Appraisal System; Whole School Evaluation and Performance Management System, designed to foster a culture of continuous improvement in schools. However research has cast doubt on the integration of the three policies. It has been argued that the implementation of the three policies is fragmented, with diverse goals, multiple purposes, values that are at variance, and conflicting expectations, causing tension between personal needs and improvement needs. The aim of this study is to understand how IQMS practices and systems promote continuous improvement. This was a case study of four primary schools located in different contexts in East London District. In-depth interviews were conducted on a total of 12 participants across all the schools. There were three main findings. First, IQMS is understood and practised as an external intervention. It appears not to have been internalised as a quality management system. Second, the participants were ambivalent about the IQMS practices as enablers and as barriers of continuous improvement. A fair amount of educators did not view IQMS as daunting as some had portrayed it. Third, There were blurred lines between what participants recognised as systems and the actual practices in the implementation of the three IQMS policies . There was no evidence of systemic thinking on the part of practitioners. As far as the IQMS systems and practices are concerned, no direct mention of evaluation variables or paradigms can be found, making it somehow complex for educators to distinguish between identifiable systems and practices. Finally, the external and internal quality assurance practices seemed to have been subsumed under managerial imperatives of compliance and accountability. Educators revealed that they merely undertake the process as they are compelled to do so as an expectation or requirement by the Department of Education. Given the above findings it can be concluded that and if continuous improvement is to be achieved through the IQMS strategy, there is a need to re-invent it such that , embedded in its systems and structures is a culture of continuous improvement. The reconfiguration of IQMS should look for mechanisms for integrating the three policies. The study recommends, for practice there should be a balance between professional development of educators and managerial imperatives that demand compliance and accountability. Further study must be undertaken to unravel the three IQMS policies.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Pylman, Johannes Nicholas
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Education)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1410 , vital:26553
- Description: Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) consists of three policies, namely; the Developmental Appraisal System; Whole School Evaluation and Performance Management System, designed to foster a culture of continuous improvement in schools. However research has cast doubt on the integration of the three policies. It has been argued that the implementation of the three policies is fragmented, with diverse goals, multiple purposes, values that are at variance, and conflicting expectations, causing tension between personal needs and improvement needs. The aim of this study is to understand how IQMS practices and systems promote continuous improvement. This was a case study of four primary schools located in different contexts in East London District. In-depth interviews were conducted on a total of 12 participants across all the schools. There were three main findings. First, IQMS is understood and practised as an external intervention. It appears not to have been internalised as a quality management system. Second, the participants were ambivalent about the IQMS practices as enablers and as barriers of continuous improvement. A fair amount of educators did not view IQMS as daunting as some had portrayed it. Third, There were blurred lines between what participants recognised as systems and the actual practices in the implementation of the three IQMS policies . There was no evidence of systemic thinking on the part of practitioners. As far as the IQMS systems and practices are concerned, no direct mention of evaluation variables or paradigms can be found, making it somehow complex for educators to distinguish between identifiable systems and practices. Finally, the external and internal quality assurance practices seemed to have been subsumed under managerial imperatives of compliance and accountability. Educators revealed that they merely undertake the process as they are compelled to do so as an expectation or requirement by the Department of Education. Given the above findings it can be concluded that and if continuous improvement is to be achieved through the IQMS strategy, there is a need to re-invent it such that , embedded in its systems and structures is a culture of continuous improvement. The reconfiguration of IQMS should look for mechanisms for integrating the three policies. The study recommends, for practice there should be a balance between professional development of educators and managerial imperatives that demand compliance and accountability. Further study must be undertaken to unravel the three IQMS policies.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
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