Philosophiae Doctor - PhD (Education)

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https://hdl.handle.net/10566/15753

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Investigating the nexus of leadership styles and teaching for learning in five secondary schools in the Zambezi region of Namibia.
(University of the Western Cape, 2023) Maemeko, Eugene Litaba; Maarman, Rouaan
Five secondary schools were selected from the Zambezi (then Caprivi) Region. It is situated in the north-eastern part of the country and is one of Namibia's eight educational regions. For the past 33 years, previously disadvantaged schools in the Zambezi region were upgraded. However, learning performance measured by examination results leaves much to be desired (Simasiku, Kasanda & Smit, 2015). Prior to Namibia's independence, enrolment levels were low in schools. Namibians were mostly enrolled for local and vocational jobs (Katjavivi, 2016). As such, education was aimed at preparing Namibians for menial positions. At the time, the Germans and the South African government needed this. However, according to the Ministry of Education (1993), there was an exception for a few individuals who became messengers, and clerks including other roles in the administrative system. This study investigated the nexus of leadership styles and teaching for learning in five secondary schools in the Zambezi region of Namibia. A qualitative approach was employed to provide rich data for deeper insight (McMillan & Schumacher, 2001) into the nexus of leadership styles and teaching for learning. This includes improving learners’ academic performance in the five secondary schools. The study employed a multiple case study method. A case study approach allowed for deeper insight into the leadership style of school principals in enhancing positive job performance by teachers and good academic performances by learners in the five schools (Leedy & Ormrod, 2010). Five secondary schools were selected, as this provided an accurate representation of the secondary schools to avoid the generalization of the findings (Christensen & Johnson, 2008). Convenient sampling was used which is a non-probability sampling technique. The study found that the democratic leadership style type of principals was the most employed in the schools. Furthermore, the study indicates that there is a relationship between leadership styles used by principals and teacher performance. The study concludes by examining whether the performance of teachers is superior in those schools where principals are using an autocratic leadership style as compared to those schools where principals adopted democratic leadership styles. It is recommended that principals use both autocratic and democratic leadership styles depending on situations in their schools to improve teachers' job performance. The study further recommends extensive research to be undertaken by other researchers in the leadership and management field as this is what is needed in the schools in the region.
An investigation into psychosocial support provision for learners at schools of skills in the Western Cape.
(Univeristy of the Western Cape, 2024) Sonn, Carola; Moodley, Trevor
Psychosocial barriers experienced by school-going learners are increasingly identified as significant indicators impacting life course outcomes. Therefore, the provision of effective psychosocial support is imperative to manage and address these barriers. This study investigated psychosocial support (PSS) provision for learners at eight Schools of Skills (SoS) across the eight education districts in the Western Cape. It examined the state of PSS provision to SoS learners. The lens of a pragmatic paradigm, and a mixed method, explanatory sequential research design guided this study. Both, quantitative and qualitative data were collected. The eight Schools of Skills that participated in this study were randomly selected, each representing one of the eight education districts in the Western Cape. Through purposive sampling, 98 participants were identified. There were 80 SoS teachers, eight school-based counsellors, eight SoS principals, and two provincial education officials. Semi-structured individual interviews with counsellors, school principals and provincial education officials were conducted. The teachers completed questionnaires. Relevant national, provincial, and school-based policies were also analysed.
The role of the university in building peace in society: a case study of the University of Zambia.
(Univeristy of the Western Cape, 2024) Sompa, Maureen; Thaver, Beverly
Universities serve as key institutions for generating and transmitting knowledge through teaching, research, and community engagement. This study examines how these functions are applied to peacebuilding, using the University of Zambia as a case study. The research tracks the university's historical development, employing institutional theory and discourse analysis to explore its role in shaping peacebuilding strategies. By analysing documents such as strategic plans, reports, and curricular frameworks, the study investigates how the university’s initiatives and institutional documents articulate goals, strategies, and values related to peacebuilding. This approach draws on Michel Foucault’s theory of discourse to connect language practices with notions of power, aiming to uncover the narratives that guide the university’s engagement with societal peace dynamics. The findings reveal that the Zambian state regards education, and specifically the University of Zambia, as critical to peacebuilding and nation-building. The university supports the state’s peacebuilding objectives by establishing the Institute on Human Relations to produce and disseminate knowledge on peace and conflict. Peacebuilding language is integrated into the university’s mission and vision statements, and faculty members design curricula to foster students' understanding of and commitment to peace. The study concludes that the University of Zambia's initiatives represent strategic responses to the state's peacebuilding discourse, and it highlights the significant role of higher education in promoting peace within society.
Exploring the framing of disability in university policies: a comparative study at a selected university in Zimbabwe and in South Africa.
(University of the Westen Cape, 2024) Fadzayi, Marcia Maruza; Rajendra, Chetty
Globally, disability inclusion has been brought into the spotlight and has become a significant issue in higher education policy and practice. However, this prominence has brought critical scrutiny to this policy and practice nexus, and challenges are being picked up all over the world. African higher education systems have not been spared from these challenges and universities around the continent are grappling with questions about how students with disabilities can be included, and yet there is limited research about the gap between policy and practice. This raises the question: How are universities on the African continent thinking about and understanding disability in their policy creation and provision?
Cross-curricular connections: The use of an integrated and theme-based approach for grade 3 isiXhosa home language literacy in selected Western Cape primary schools
(University of the Western Cape, 2024) Kosi, Thembisa; Nomlomo, Vuyokazi
The current South African curriculum, known as the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), aims to produce learners who can communicate effectively using visual, symbolic and/or language skills in various modes (DBE, 2011). CAPS encourages an integrated and theme-based approach to teaching and learning in the Foundation Phase (Grades R–3) literacy curriculum. However, it does not give guidelines to teachers on how to integrate different subjects or use themes for effective teaching and learning in these grades. Given the low levels of literacy and numeracy among Foundation Phase learners in many South African schools, and the evidence for the efficacy of the integrated theme-based approach, it is important to understand how teachers use the approach, and what may be done to enhance their use of it. In addition, given the value of home language teaching in the Foundation Phase, it is important to know whether or not teaching and learning are in fact taking place in learners’ home language in all three subjects of the Foundation Phase – Literacy, Mathematics and Life Skills. In order to investigate these aspects, this study examined the use of the integrated themebased approach (ITBA) for isiXhosa Home Language Literacy in two Grade 3 classrooms in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
Exploring translingual assessment for learning in multilingual grade 10 afrikaans home language classes
(University of the Western Cape, 2023) August, Chantelle Melanie; Mbeyani, Madeyandile
Multilingualism is globally inevitable, yet learners are still subjected to monolingual English and Afrikaans assessment practices. Despite South African policies advocating for multilingualism, monolingual ideologies are still hindering education in South African public schools (Makalela, 2017). This context prompted this study to investigate meaningful ways in, which multilingualism can be used as an intervention strategy for teaching and assessment. The study was conducted within the qualitative research paradigm and adopts a formative intervention case study that is underpinned by the Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT). This case study draws on Sen’s capability approach (CA), which advocates that a person can expand capabilities and achieve if the relevant resources are provided. Purposive sampling was employed to select participants in two Grade 10 classes in a Western Cape school. Teachers, learners, and parents were the main participants. Individual and focus group interviews, qualitative questionnaires, document analysis, and classroom observations were used to collect data. The CA and CHAT were used to analyse the data. The key findings emanating from the study show that isiXhosa learners are undeniably placed at a disadvantage in Afrikaans Home Language classes as learners’ home language is often disregarded as a resource for meaning making due to a lack of clarification on the policy
A capability analysis of the National Development Plan (NDP) in terms of learners’ mathematics performances in primary schools in South Africa: Lessons from African successes
(University of the Western Cape, 2024) Soga, Mncedisi Help; Maarman, Rouaan
Even though the study is not a comparative study some of its content reviews the South African primary schools’ mathematics learners’ capabilities towards their mathematics performances in comparison with other African equivalents in mathematics performances. It is evident according to the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Studies (TIMSS 2015) (Reddy et al., 2016:3) that some African and international learners have improved mathematics achievements and outperform South African learners in mathematics and therefore this study seeks to bring a strategy that might address these mathematics learners’ freedoms and functionings. The study forefronts primary school mathematics learners’ performances because that is where a good foundation of mathematics should be laid or start while simultaneously looking at mathematics learners’ successes and improvements without considering the quintile to which the school belongs. The study looks at possible inferences which hinder South African mathematics learners from performing to the desired levels of performance despite the country’s historical background and the coronavirus (COVID-19). According to the South African Schools’ Act (DoE, 1996) about the right to education, as one of the fundamental human rights, the study reviews the National Development Plan (NDP) (National Planning Commission, 2011) by seeking to address its relevance, potential and enabling nature in terms of mathematics learning in the South African primary schools.
Exploring storytelling as a pedagogy to enhance preservice life sciences teachers’ understanding of inquiry-based science education
(Universty of the Western Cape, 2023) Van Staden, Vanessa Annabel Edwina; Langenhoven, Keith Roy
In the Life Sciences classroom, students from diverse backgrounds do not always use formal scientific terminology to discuss their experiences and interactions in science but they rather use everyday language. This research is a participatory action study to evaluate preservice Life Sciences teachers’ use of storytelling as a pedagogy to enhance their understanding of Inquiry-Based Science Education. Using a mixed-method approach, it was underpinned by Bourdieu’s Theory of Scientific Capital, Ogunniyi’s Contiguity Argumentation Theory and Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Learning Theory. Langenhoven’s Dialogical Argumentation Instructional Model (DAIM) was employed as an intervention in the learning and teaching of a field study on river health involving fifty-four fourth-year preservice Life Sciences teachers (n = 54). Participants were subjected to pre- and posttests, data were collected through discussions, WhatsApp chats, audio recordings, questionnaires and surveys and were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis to determine the impact or otherwise of storytelling. The findings had a bearing on the conceptualisation, contextualisation and interpretation of topics in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (Life Sciences, Grade 10 - 12) from a sociocultural perspective.
A phenomenological investigation into the lived experiences of selected high school principals focussing on the school as a learning organisation
(Universty of the Western Cape, 2024) Long, Keith William; Koopman, Karen
This study explores the lived experiences of principals carrying out their strategic leadership responsibilities in leading their schools towards becoming learning organisations. The rationale of the study is to deepen our knowledge about the lived experiences of high school principals in attempting to develop their schools into learning organisations through strategic leadership. The literature review focuses on phenomenology as well as Senge’s learning organisation. This study draws on the foundational principles of Husserl’s transcendental (descriptive) phenomenology and Heidegger’s hermeneutical (interpretive) phenomenology. These two distinctly different schools of thought in phenomenology provide insight into developing an understanding of the lived experiences of the principals. The five disciplines of Senge, namely, personal mastery, shared vision, mental models, team learning, and systems thinking provide the theoretical framework of the study. These disciplines play an important part in understanding whether a school is truly a learning organisation, or on the pathway of becoming such an organisation.
verandering in arrykskunde in die sekondere skool: n aksienavorsingsbenadering
(1991) Najjaar, K; Meerkotter, DA
Hierdie mini-thesis handel hoofsaaklik oor n aksienvorsingsprojek wat gedurende 1989 by Fairmount Sekonder geloode is. Die aanvanklike doel was om die status van die vak Aardrykskunde te verhoog. Vanwee die sikliese aard van aksienavorsing, het die fokus na n ondersoek en uiteindelik n verandering van my eie klaskamerpraktyk verskuif.

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