Research in Educational Policy and Management (E-Journal)
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“I Mainly Rely on the Textbook:” A Call for Teacher Enhancement in Agricultural Sciences
Full text linkUniversities play a crucial role in teachers' professional development. This study aims to examine the following research question: How can universities enhance the teaching of agricultural sciences in schools? Previous research has focused on the university’s collaboration with stakeholders, such as parents, to enhance teaching, but without a specific focus on the teaching of agricultural sciences. In response to this question, a transformative theoretical framework anchors this study. This study employed a participatory action research design involving focus group discussions to determine the need for improving the teaching of agricultural sciences. Eleven participants were involved in this research, and pseudonyms were used to ensure privacy and protect their identities. The study findings from the three schools in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District of the Free State Province, included in the study, revealed that there is an inability to meet curriculum requirements, accompanied by a reluctance to implement continuous professional teacher development. The findings emphasize the need for extended university involvement in the implementation of teacher development policies to address the teachers’ needs
Leadership Practices to Mitigate Violence and Promote Social Justice in South African Schools
Full text linkDue to the repeal of apartheid laws (Bantu Education Act of 1953 and the Education and Training Act of 1979) that segregate learners on the basis of their skin colour, the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 was enacted to place all learners on an equal footing. The latter gave learners freedom of speech, equality and human dignity. However, the introduction of this system presented new difficulties in the instructional domain. One of these issues is school violence between learners and educators, which has led some authors to question whether the idea of in loco parentis is still applicable in educational settings. School violence not only brought headaches for teachers, but also for principals in the leadership and management domain. Principals are rendered incapable of instilling discipline in schools due to school violence. For education to flourish, respect for one another is paramount, but is often lacking when violence is present. This conceptual article seeks to present leadership practices to provide social justice in schools which have been negatively affected by violence
Exploring High School Mathematics Teachers’ Experiences of Professional Development in the Integration of GeoGebra
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This study investigated how high school mathematics teachers in South Africa integrate GeoGebra, a free dynamic mathematics software program, into their teaching practices. The research explored teachers' perceptions of the training they received for the GeoGebra software, their ability to create and implement GeoGebra-based lessons, and their confidence in using it in the classroom. The study employed an interpretive research paradigm to gather insights through unstructured interviews with four purposefully selected teachers from South Africa's Northwest Province. Despite the absence of a structured training program, the study findings indicate teachers' enthusiasm for adopting GeoGebra. The study underscores the need for the Department of Basic Education to enhance support to address potential obstacles and the importance of aligning GeoGebra training with existing guidelines for integrating information and communication technologies within the Department of Basic Education and school management. In summary, this study provides valuable insights into how professional development impacts high school mathematics teachers' incorporation of GeoGebra, with implications for the design and implementation of future programs aimed at helping teachers integrate technology into their instructional practices
Factors influencing lecturer’s retention in a South African University
Full text linkUniversity stakeholders are a united entity; whenever one party does not hold up their end of the deal, it eventually becomes a challenge for all the stakeholders. In this case, universities that are struggling to retain lecturers pose a challenge to the universities’ goodwill. Accordingly, this study examines factors influencing lecturers’ retention in a South African university, and the guidelines for the universities to enhance lecturer retention policies are investigated. Herzberg’s two-factor theory was adopted as the theoretical framework for the study. The qualitative research approach was adopted within the Transformative paradigm using Participatory case study as a research design. A total of 14 participants were selected using a purposive sampling method amongst a pool of university stakeholders. As a result, semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the data was analysed using thematic analysis. The study found that less promotional opportunities and less recognition are factors influencing lecturers’ retention in a South African university. In addition, flexible work arrangements together with the promotion of teamwork, were suggested as guidelines for universities to enhance lecturer retention. Therefore, promoting deserving lecturers, counteroffers, recognising hard-working lecturers, flexible work schedules and promoting teamwork are the recommendations to transform retention problems in universities
Conceptualizing Adolescent Black Youth Political Efficacy in an Era of Crises
Full text linkTackling adolescent youth political efficacy is indispensable to the success American democracy. Racism coupled with health and economic disparities predispose Black youth to adverse political engagement, political efficacy, and social emotional outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated pandemic-induced stressors such as the current experiences of Black youth with racial injustice and the potential of economic insecurity, homelessness, and a health disaster affecting a family member, further challenge their political engagement and political efficacy. In this theoretical piece, we therefore bring forth two separate, yet compatible theoretical frameworks, Black Resilience Neoliberalism (BRN) and the sociopolitical development model (SPD), to grasp the racialized identity and the political efficacy of adolescent Black youth in an era of crises
South African Legal Framework to Prepare Pre-Service Teacher Education Programmes: A Freirean Approach
Full text linkThe education sector in South Africa is governed by a complex legal framework that outlines guidelines, policies and standards for pre-service teacher education programmes. In order to prepare pre-service teachers for the classroom, universities must navigate this legal framework and ensure that their programmes comply with the requirements set forth by various regulatory bodies. However, the authors argue that these requirements are not enough to prepare student teachers for the classroom. Rather, by using Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy as a theoretical lens, they argue that student teachers should be conscientized to become agents of change in the classroom and promote social justice, while adhering to legal guidelines in their teacher training. Furthermore, education spaces need to consider the context of schools and higher education institutions, student society, teaching and scientific endeavours, educational administration, pedagogical imageology and intercultural education to address these standardisation challenges. Through a desktop analysis, this article provides an overview of the legal framework for integrating learning into pre-service teacher education programmes in South Africa. The study asks: what are the legal requirements and guidelines that universities must follow to prepare pre-service teachers for the classroom in South Africa? To answer this question, the authors conducted a literature review of relevant legal frameworks and guidelines, including legal documentations, case law, academic literature and publications from professional organisations. The research methodology primarily consisted of a search for literature using specific search terms and databases. The article provides recommendations for how universities can effectively navigate the legal framework in training pre-service teachers, drawing on key findings from the literature review. These include the need for universities to ensure that their teacher education programmes are socially just
Foundation Phase Educators’ Views on the Management of Professional Development in Historically Disadvantaged Schools
Full text linkFoundation Phase (FP) educators are deemed productive when cohorts of learners who pass through their hands cope well with learning beyond the initial three grades of schooling. In South Africa, despite empirical evidence showing that FP educators in historically disadvantaged schools contend with overcrowded classes, low parental involvement and a shortage of teaching and learning resources, are still perceived as the primary source of poor learner achievement. The other point of view is that teacher underperformance and poor learner achievement are a legacy of the apartheid-engineered Bantu education policies that left the schooling system with poorly trained Black educators. To reverse these challenges, post-apartheid educational policies mandate that every school continuously conduct teacher professional development (TPD). Situated in the theory of change (ToC), this qualitative interpretivist study used interviews of a semi-structured nature to purposefully interact with a sample of six FP educators. They each characterised their HoDs’ management of TPD in two primary schools in Emalahleni Circuit 2, Mpumalanga Province. The second method of data collection entailed the analysis of a range of documents, namely the educators’ files, school performance improvement plans, and national education policy documents, to cross-check the findings of the thematic analysis. The findings revealed that HoDs were sufficiently collegial towards educators, showed commitment towards rendering professional support to educators, and adhered to a tight schedule of class visits to develop and appraise educators and monitor their implementation of inclusive education practices. Barriers stemmed from educators’ apprehension towards HoD’s class visits, especially the randomly conducted ones. The second barrier was the school management teams’ (SMTs’) inefficiency of professionalism, support for HoDs and understanding of curriculum leadership policy. The study recommends that communication around HODs’ scheduled and random class visits needs to take a more inclusive approach to scale down the panic caused by them, and SMTs must be equally prioritised for continuous professional development. 
Teaching Emergent Bilinguals: How In-service Teachers’ Perception of First Language Acquisition Theories Inform Practice
Full text linkDifferent writers, linguists, and researchers present nuances in language acquisition theories. However, few studies explore in-service teachers’ voices in such discourses. It is, therefore, imperative to explore the voices of in-service teachers in such narratives as they teach emergent bilinguals (EBs) and culturally and linguistically diverse students. This paper examined how in-service teachers perceive First Language Acquisition (FLA) theories and how those perceptions influence teaching EBs and informing classroom practice. Centering on Freeman and Freeman’s discussion of five FLA theories (imitation, reinforcement, behaviorist, social interaction, active construction, connectionist), we argue that in-service teachers’ perceptions of first language acquisition theories impact how they teach and engage EBs in their classrooms. Findings show that in-service teachers consider the social interaction theory most beneficial to students’ language development. However, the precariousness of FLA theories makes it challenging for them to determine the best approach to teaching EBs. Additionally, teacher education programs and critical professional development (PD) courses are instrumental in fostering understanding and robust pedagogical mindsets and preparing teachers to meet the needs of emergent bilinguals.  
Self-Awareness as a Key Emotional Intelligent Skill for Secondary School Principals’ Leadership Toolkit
Full text linkThis study explores the importance of self-awareness as a fundamental emotional intelligence skill for the school principals’ leadership toolkit. Globally, school principals face complex challenges and responsibilities in the education system. Failure to manage these educational challenges effectively may result in failure as a principal. However, self-awareness as an emotional intelligence skill for school leadership demonstrates promising results in dealing with these difficulties. This qualitative study was conducted at six Motheo districts, Free State, South Africa secondary schools. Participants totaled 19, comprising six school principals, two deputy principals, three Heads of Departments (HODs), and eight teachers. The findings revealed that self-awareness as an emotional intelligence skill might have positive and significant results for school principals in managing and dealing with educational challenges and overall school leadership. The results indicated that self-awareness should be necessary for school principals. Improving the sub-skills of self-awareness, such as emotional awareness, self-regard, self-confidence, assertiveness, and independence, may give school principals the edge for school and principalship success. It is strongly recommended that principals and staff consider self-development and workshops or seminars on emotional intelligence, specifically self-awareness
The Effect of Batho Pele Principles on Mediating Internally and Externally Directed Knowledge-sharing Practices in Public Schools
Full text linkAll public service organisations in the world use social policies as a guide to render services for the greater good of their citizenries. Operating in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) implies that schools need to reinvent their role (administratively, pedagogically and otherwise) to ensure that they become catalysts for transferal of context-specific knowledge, problem-solving skills and creative thinking. Also, amidst a growing call by indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) scholars, governments and tribal authorities throughout the continent for African organisations to consider infusing indigenous epistemologies into their daily professional practices, this qualitative study investigated how Batho Pele (a Sotho word meaning “people first”) principles moderated participants’ execution of internally and externally directed knowledge-sharing practices at three selected public schools in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The sample constituted 20 participants, namely teachers, heads of departments, administrative clerks and principals. Based on a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews and documents, the study found that two of the selected three schools did not consistently comply with the Batho Pele principles (BPPs) of (a) consultation, (b) access, courtesy and redress, (c) encouraging and rewarding excellence in innovation, and (d) leadership and strategic direction. Only one school was found to have satisfactorily complied with all the prescribed BPPs in how it fostered internally directed (or collegial) knowledge-sharing practices. However, in so far as the infusion of BPPs in externally directed knowledge-sharing practices (more especially towards parents, educational officials, stakeholders from the public and private sectors and the school community at large) was concerned, all three schools were found to have satisfactorily engendered a climate of (a) consultation, (b) access, courtesy and redress, (c) information, openness and transparency, and (d) value for money. The study recommends that the fervency with which schools practise externally directed knowledge sharing must also be replicated in internally directed knowledge-sharing practices