1,721,013 research outputs found
Educators' perceptions of conflict at three Northern area schools in Port Elizabeth : a case study
No full textThe researcher, who is also an educator, a School Management Team member and a union official, observed that conflict among educators at schools was a cause of concern. This situation prompted the researcher to explore how school leaders and educators perceived conflict among educators at school in order to determine the perceived possible causes of conflict, the perceived possible consequences of conflict, how conflict was currently dealt with and the perceptions regarding appropriate measures to address the handling of conflict. The research was underpinned by the interpretive paradigm and followed a case study approach that involved three primary schools residing in close proximity to one another in the Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Data was collected from educators and school leaders ranging from Post Level One educators to principals and covering educators from the Foundation Phase, Intermediate Phase and Senior Phase. Data was gathered by making use of an open-ended questionnaire, semi-structured personal interviews and semi-structured focus group interviews.
The findings revealed that the research participants mostly viewed conflict negatively and associated it (conflict) with disagreements, misunderstandings, verbal and non-verbal fighting, and diverse views or opinions. The possible causes as identified by the participants were categorised into data-based conflict, relationship conflict, structural conflict, interest-based conflict and needs-based conflict. Data-based conflict related to issues concerned with communication, a lack of transparency and consultation, and the spreading of gossip and untruths. Relationship conflict pertained to favouritism, not valuing the opinions of others, and a lack of respect or tolerance. Structural conflict, as highlighted by the participants, were linked to issues of management and leadership, workload allocations and time tabling, punctuality and time issues and the role and responsibilities of employees. Value-based conflict was ascribed to different beliefs and viewpoints of people and differences in valuing guidance from others. Interest-based conflict was closely connected to appointments and limited possibilities around promotion posts as well as to issues with resources. Needs-based conflict focused on individuals‟ self-esteem needs and people‟s need for power and (or) status. Conflict was also perceived as having both positive and negative consequences. Positive aspects related to improved relationships, better understanding, change and improved attitudes and the development of personal growth. Negative aspects of conflict were associated with the manifestation of defiant attitudes and intolerance, poor cooperation, the formation of groups and cliques, poor morale and work ethic, poor health and stress, absenteeism and negative effects on teaching and the learners. Regarding the handling of conflict, the findings highlighted the perception that conflict is mostly avoided and (or) inadequately handled and when it was dealt with, it was done unprofessionally and inappropriately. The findings also pertained to suggestions in dealing with conflict in an appropriate manner. Here, the following important practical ways or aspects of handling conflict were suggested, namely ensuring that aggrieved parties were provided with opportunities to raise their issues, listening with serious intent, applying confidentiality and professionalism, openness and transparency, provision of fair hearings and treatment, the utilisation of policies and procedures, the value of conflict management training and the inclusion of external intervention in resolving conflict. Various outcomes were suggested by the findings. These were linked to striving towards a win-win situation, respect and understanding for all, compromise and agreement and satisfying all parties with agreements reached. The promotion of third party intervention was emphasised, with participants highlighting the characteristics that these third parties had to reflect and the procedures which they had to follow when attempting to resolve conflicts. Recommendations are also provided. In terms of these recommendations drafted, this study concludes that the recommendations can be grouped related to professional development opportunities and policies and procedures. Finally, in exploring educators‟ perceptions of conflict in three Northern Areas primary schools in Port Elizabeth, the researcher gained valuable insights into conflict among educators at schools, which could benefit educators (teachers, SMT‟s and principals) and education in genera
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
The promotion of history thinking skills in selected secondary schools in Gauteng
Full text linkDissertation (MEd (Management, Law and Policy))--University of Pretoria, 2021.The South African Department of Basic Education has emphasised the promotion of history thinking skills through different policy reforms. The history curriculum has been revised to ensure that it promotes history thinking skills and to inspire teachers to implement these skills. This research paper is a qualitative case study undertaken in public and independent secondary schools in the Northern and Eastern areas of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province. The paper investigates teachers conceptual understanding and implementation of history thinking skills in their teaching pedagogy. The study also aims to understand the challenges that teachers experience when they have to teach history thinking skills. The purpose of the research study was to understand how teachers make sense of their realities and how this informs their perceptions. This was important because human beings have multiple social realities which may be interpreted differently- thus the study followed an interpretative paradigm. The study found that teachers have different views of history thinking skills based on various reasons. Recommendations were made for student teachers to be trained to develop a better understanding of history thinking skills.
Key words: Critical thinking, History thinking skills, historical empathy, multiple perspectives, primary and secondary sources, inquiry-based learning, constructivism, situational learning.Education Management and Policy StudiesMEd (Management, Law and Policy)Unrestricte
Professional discretion of public school principals : an education law perspective
Full text linkThesis (PhD (Education Management, Law and Policy))--University of Pretoria, 2023.Research indicates that there is a lack of understanding of the law and legal obligations among school principals. This could directly affect a principal’s ability to apply appropriate professional discretion. Without the necessary legal knowledge, it would be almost impossible for principals to apply appropriate professional discretion. Underpinned by the Contextual Intelligence Theory, the purpose of this study was therefore to investigate, analyse, and interpret principals’ legal interpretation of their duties, their application of professional discretion, and their perceptions of the role of contextual intelligence when they apply professional discretion. This study also aimed to shed light on principals’ decision-making when confronted with difficult decisions concerning management, leadership, legislation, and policy within the context in which their schools are operating. This study adopted a mixed-methods approach from within a pragmatist research paradigm. Data was collected by means of quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques, namely survey questionnaires followed by semi-structured interviews. The findings suggest that there are multiple scenarios in which principals must apply professional discretion and that, in order to protect the best interests of learners and staff, it often means that they are required to ignore official policies which do not allow for the contextual nuances of schools. Various internal and external factors which influence how principals apply professional discretion were identified. Further, principals experience intimidation by departmental officials who are often second guessing their decision-making. As a result, they are often afraid to apply their discretionary powers.Postgraduate Research Bursary – Doctoral StudiesEducation Management and Policy StudiesPhD (Education Management, Law and Policy)Unrestricte
The principal’s role in the budgeting process of fee-paying public schools
Full text linkDissertation (MEd (Management, Law and Policy))--University of Pretoria, 2022.Research has shown that budgeting is one of the most important aspects to ensure effective school financial management. Very little research has been conducted on the specific role principals need to play in the budgeting process of public fee-paying schools. Although Chapter 4 of the South African Schools Act clearly stipulates the role of school governing bodies in terms of the financial management of their schools, Section 16 A of the South African Schools Act stipulates that the principals of a public school must advise their schools’ governing bodies on the implications of financial decisions made by them. This includes the budgeting process of schools. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate the principal’s role at fee-paying public schools during the budgeting process of their schools.
This study will made use of a qualitative research approach with a multiple case study design. Principals, governing body chairpersons and chairpersons of the finance committees of six fee-paying schools (three primary and three secondary schools) were invited to participate in the study. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews.
The findings indicate that the principal is the primary source of information and must advise school governing bodies in their decision-making during the budgeting process. This is because of the principal’s daily involvement in the management of the school. In addition, sound communication channels between the principal and his or her governing body need to be established and the relationship between principals and their governing bodies must be based on mutual trust.Education Management and Policy StudiesMEd (Management, Law and Policy)Unrestricte
The implementation of alternatives to corporal punishment in selected Pretoria schools
Full text linkDissertation (MEd (Management, Law and Policy))--University of Pretoria, 2022.Since the publication of the Alternatives to Corporal Punishment-document in 2000, studies have indicated that ill-discipline in schools is on the rise. It can be argued that this approach is not that effective as indicated by Mergler, Vargas and Caldwell (2014: 30). The primary research question is as follows: How do educators in selected schools in Pretoria perceive the implementation of alternatives to corporal punishment in the maintenance of school discipline? The participants in this study were the Head of Department, Head of Academics, Head of Discipline, and School Psychologist/Counsellor at four selected schools. This study was conducted from an interpretivist paradigm due to its potential to investigate the alternatives to the corporal punishment phenomenon by analysing the individual aspects that ultimately form the concept as a whole.
This study made use of a qualitative research approach with a multiple case study design. Sixteen educators were purposively sampled from four schools in Pretoria. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The interviews were transcribed, and documents analysed for the purposes of data analysis. Categorisation was used to organise the raw data into smaller topic clusters which were then used to formulate eight themes which were: Punitive disciplinary methods, the most commonly used alternatives to corporal punishment (ATCP), School discipline requires parent-child-teacher collaboration, Department of Basic Education’s disciplinary regulations considered insufficient, Professional development (PD), Prevention is better than cure (preventative disciplinary methods), Good discipline teaches, Effective school discipline is centered around communication, teamwork and consistency, and The human rights element.Education Management and Policy StudiesMEd (Management, Law and Policy)Unrestricte
Transitioning from university to workplace : experiences of novice teachers in township schools
Full text linkDissertation (MEd (Management, Law and Policy))--University of Pretoria, 2021.Prior research shows that internationally schools struggle to retain teachers with less than five year’s work experience. This may be due to the fact that novice teachers encounter various challenges during the time of transition from being a student into being a competent teacher. These challenges cause high amounts of stress which can lead to novice teachers leaving the profession prematurely. Very little research has been conducted on how novice teachers working in township schools, within the Gauteng District, experienced this transition. Therefore, this study aims to explore how novice teachers in townships experienced their transitional phase within the first five years of employment and what resources were made available to them to overcome the challenges they encountered. This study relies on Nancy Schlossberg’s transition theory as the lens through which will look at our findings. The 4S-System, from Schlossberg’s transition theory, was the main focus point for this study.
This study employed a qualitative research approach with a multiple case study design. Fifteen novice teachers with less than five years teaching experience in township schools will be purposively sampled. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Six participants were chosen to participate in one focus group discussion which was audio recorded and transcribed for data analysis purposes. The 4S-System was used to organise the findings into four themes. These themes consisted of the individual’s self, situation, support and strategies. Each one of the themes contained the barriers and resources the participants had during their first five years of teaching.
Key Terms:
Novice teacher; teacher retention; challenges; student teachers; transitioning; support; induction; mentoring; SchlossbergEducation Management and Policy StudiesMEd (Management, Law and Policy)Unrestricte
Transitioning from university to workplace : experiences of novice teachers in rural schools
Full text linkMini Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2021.The study investigated activities initiated in different rural secondary schools to assist novice teachers with less than three years in the field to cope with challenges arising during the transitional phase. The study arose out of challenges encountered by novice teachers attached to my school and other neighbouring rural secondary schools as observed by me due to the lack of clear professional development activities aimed at assisting them to cope with the challenges at work which in most cases lead them into exiting the profession prematurely. I posed a primary research question: How do novice teachers cope with the transition from university to the workplace? Twelve novice teachers working in rural secondary schools in the Capricorn North District in Limpopo Province were sampled purposefully as participants in this study. The study indicated some of the challenges encountered by novice teachers in their first three years of teaching which normally kills their spirit and results in a high rate of attrition. The study employed a descriptive qualitative research approach and multiple case study design to explore the problem. The study used the theory that was developed by Fuller (1969). The theory compared a novice teacher to a new-born child that just got thrown into a new place of which he knew nothing. The theory holds that teachers go through three stages of concern, namely a state of survival, self-adequacy and thirdly, acceptance. The findings revealed that novice teachers working in rural schools experienced a different form of developmental support from their schools due to the lack of a clear professional development policy and the lack of support from the Department of Basic Education. In some rural schools, novice teachers are not being assisted at all, they depend on consultations with senior teachers which they had to initiate themselves.ETDP SETAEducation Management and Policy StudiesMEdUnrestricte
The management of interpersonal relations in secondary school subject departments
Full text linkMini Dissertation (MEd (Education Leadership))--University of Pretoria, 2021.From the social network theory perspective, this qualitative study attempts to gain understanding regarding how heads of departments manage, maintain and develop interpersonal relationships with educators within the organisational context of different schools and departments. Based on existing literature, a detailed discussion is provided on what interpersonal relationships are, the difference between managers and leaders, the structure of subject departments, distributed leadership, teacher leadership, subject departments as communities of practice, conceptualising interpersonal relationships, the link between interpersonal relations and communities of practice, the role of interpersonal relationships in schools and a look at the social network theory.
Prior research indicates that interpersonal relationships play a vital role in the implementation of learning and teaching in a classroom. Research generally focuses more on the interpersonal relationships between educators and the principal or educators and their learners. Limited research has been conducted on the interpersonal relationship between HODs and their departments.
A qualitative approach has been used in this study to explore the perceptions and understanding of interpersonal relationships between educators and teachers. A multiple case study design has been used.
Three secondary schools were purposefully sampled and three participants from each school have been invited to participate in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each of the participants.
The findings confirm that there is an indelible link between the HOD and the educator’s relationship regarding work ethics and motivation. We cannot ignore that a head of department is a key link between principals and the teachers in their classrooms.Education Management and Policy StudiesMEd (Education Leadership)Unrestricte
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