Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/37987

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    An investigation of quality assurance practices and teaching in a higher learning institution in Johannesburg South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Dlodlo, Khanyisa
    Higher education institutions (HEIs) in developing countries are increasingly focusing on quality assurance, as indicated by their development of relevant policies, structures, and procedures. This study aims to examine the quality control measures within HEIs and assess lecturers' knowledge of these measures. Institutional and national policy documents related to quality were analyzed to understand the regulatory framework for lecturers. Categories of Quality Practices in Teaching, such as assessment, curriculum, and teaching strategies, were established for data analysis. Using an interpretative paradigm and qualitative techniques, the study involved interviews with three lecturers and a quality assurance (QA) manager. This approach helped gain insights into how quality measures are implemented and how lecturers utilize them to improve teaching. The study categorized and compared lecturers' practices with institutional and national policy documents to evaluate their alignment. Findings revealed that lecturers have limited knowledge about the institution's QA measures. Their practices often do not align with the institution’s QA policies, partly due to their lack of awareness of these policies. Although the institution has QA measures, many are adopted from national documents, but there is insufficient emphasis on these measures at both institutional and national levels. The study recommends that lecturers should be involved in the creation, review, and evaluation of QA policies to enhance their engagement and understanding. Additionally, peer and student evaluations should be mandatory and conducted more frequently than the current three-year cycle. Finally, having teaching qualifications as a requirement for employment is suggested to improve QA in teaching.
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    Investigating the experiences of female Heads of Departments leading at an Independent High School in South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Reddy, Leslie Cheston Nicholas; Fleisch, Brahm
    Throughout history, women have faced various challenges because of their gender. With society developing and people becoming more aware of gender diversity and equality, organisations still have not purposefully remedied how women are seen in society. More specifically, schools, particularly primary schools, have long been the domain of women due to the stereotypical notions that women are natural caregivers and there to nurture children. However, leadership and management positions within schools have traditionally been dominated by men as many independent schools in South Africa were developed during the apartheid administration, which disadvantaged people of colour, more specifically women of colour. This research report investigated the experiences of female heads of departments (HODs) leading at an independent school in South Africa. Through the use of transformative leadership as the theoretical framework for this study, it became apparent that women's experiences are unique to their gender and often shared with other women. This study used a qualitative research design by looking at seven HODs. Data was obtained through semi-structured interviews and observations. With this, central themes of their experiences, challenges, and strategies used by female HODs in independent schools were collated thematically. This study revealed that gender-biased perceptions of women leaders exist in several forms of discrimination even though they are in leadership positions. Additionally, the challenges these female HODs faced were aspects that dealt with society's beliefs impacting their ability to lead confidently. These women also have perceptions of male privilege, the demands of working in an independent school, the need to prove themselves as a leader and gender-pay discrepancies. The women in this study also gave insight into their perceptions of male arrogance, recognising a gender shift in school leadership and examining the role of school existence and traditionalism in their role as leaders. The study revealed that the women in this independent school feel better equipped and are better managers than their male counterparts. The women leaders recognised the value of emotional intelligence and also strived to implement various strategies in how they led to ensure that they could manage their positions effectively. These strategies included building relationships with colleagues, students and parents; open communication; adopting iii multiple leadership styles; and caring for and empowering students. All these strategies were implemented to mitigate their challenges as female HODs in an independent school.
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    Exploring the effect of Professional Noticing in the Context of Algebraic Fractions: A Case Study of National Certificate Vocational L3 Lecturers in a TVET College
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Nadason, Selome; Makonye, Judah
    Expertise in professional noticing of students mathematical reasoning is an integral component of effective mathematics discourse. What a teacher notices or fails to notice impacts students’ performance significantly. Professional noticing of students mathematical thinking, in the mathematics classroom, involves attending to, interpreting, and deciding how to respond to students reasoning (Jacobs et al., 2010). Based on the significance of the construct of noticing, this study explored the effect of professional noticing on the pedagogical practices of NCV Level 3 (L3) lecturers in relation to the simplification of algebraic fractions. Specifically, this study sought to answer the following questions: how do NCV L3 lecturers attend to students mathematical reasoning in relation to simplifying algebraic fractions; how do NCV L3 lecturers interpret students mathematical reasoning in relation to simplifying algebraic fractions; and what course of action do NCV L3 lecturers take based on students mathematical reasoning in relation to algebraic fractions. To answer these research questions, a qualitative research design, particularly a case study approach was used. Data were collected in the form of student written responses to a pre-test, field notes, and audio recorded lessons, in the topic of algebraic fractions. Participants were purposively and conveniently recruited. A total of two NCV L3 lecturers and their respective classes, from TVET College B, consented to participate in the study. Before the data collection process, a professional noticing development program (workshop), facilitated by the researcher was conducted. Lecturer participants were requested to analyse the written responses of students by providing a detailed explanation on what they noticed about students reasoning in relation to the simplification of algebraic fractions. Furthermore, the audio recorded lessons were transcribed by the researcher, and transcripts were read several times to accurately determine the degree of noticing displayed by the participants. The three strands of professional noticing and the levels of sophistication framework served as analytical tools to determine the extent to which lecturers attended to, interpreted, and responded to students mathematical reasoning. Verbatim quotations were used to highlight the noticing skills of the participants. The findings of the study suggest that the lecturers displayed predominantly low (0) and medium (1) levels of noticing when analysing the written responses of students. In terms of noticing in action, participant lecturers were observed demonstrating primarily low (0) levels 6 of noticing. The study also revealed that participants found it challenging to notice students reasoning during the teaching of algebraic fractions. In conclusion, since noticing can be learned (Jacobs et al., 2010), to support lecturers in noticing students mathematical reasoning, it is recommended that TVET colleges provide training programs and workshops that explicitly focus on the learning and implementation of professional noticing. Furthermore, the study suggests that there is a need for the conceptualisation of noticing from a perspective that appreciates and integrates the socio- cultural realities of the students as well as the realistic setting of the classroom, since factors such as students background knowledge, classroom culture, and resources may affect the efficiency of noticing. Therefore, it is advisable that adaptations be made to acknowledge and accommodate the diversity and contextual circumstances of our South African classrooms to cultivate a more inclusive approach to noticing.
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    Understanding the dynamics that enable and constrain the implementation of learnership programmes as skills development interventions in South Africa: A descriptive analysis of learnership programmes funded by the Education Training And Development Practices –Sector Education Training Authority (ETDP Seta)
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-09) Khubisa, Zanele Cynthia; Ramsarup, Presha
    The study aimed to understand the dynamics that enable and determine the implementation of Education, Training, and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDP SETA) funded learnerships (2017/18 and 2018/2019) as critical skills development interventions in South Africa. The qualitative analysis considered the viewpoints of learners, host employers, and ETDP SETA Officials. Several key enablers have been identified, namely workplace-based learning, effective mentoring and monitoring, and evaluation of learnerships. On the other hand, certain key constraints have also been identified including limited involvement of corporate employers, inadequate resourcing, lack of educational progression, and the delays in issuing of certificates. It is important to note that the latter two constraints directly affect the employability of beneficiaries. The study recommended that the ETDP SETA improve its efforts to cultivate a consistent understanding of the national skills development imperatives amongst its stakeholders; incentivise employers to enhance their participation in workplace-based training and enforce policies and legislation that promoted improved pathways and connections to the rest of the PSET system. The SETA should consider enforcing measures that promote the timely issuing of certificates.
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    Investigating the usefulness of careership theory for understanding career decision-making among Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) engineering students
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-09) Mamogopodi, Lesley Thuso; Tshabalala, Themba; Ramsurap, Presha
    Most of the South African research on career guidance and career decision-making is focussed in the schooling sector and towards university pathways. There is little research with regards to career decision-making in the TVET sector except for the recent research of Maluleke (2022a) who investigated student views regarding what influences their career decisions. This current research study aimed at investigating the usefulness of careership theory for understanding career decisions among TVET engineering students at a selected TVET college in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Since the theory informing the study was conceptualised and used to understand the UK TVET context, this study sought to test its affordances for understanding career decision-making in the South African TVET context. The study firstly determined the factors that affect career decision-making and secondly investigated the usefulness of careership theory in understanding those factors. Drawing on data from semi-structured interviews, the study firstly examined the factors that influenced career decisions among first and final year engineering students. Secondly, since the study was aimed at testing careership theory in the South African TVET context, the theory was used as a conceptual framework for analysing the data. The three aspects of the careership model of career decision-making that derive from careership theory were used to interrogate the data to firstly uncover the factors at play in the career decision-making process and secondly, to investigate whether those factors can be explained in light of careership theory. Significant others were not only found to influence career decision-making but they proved to wield power of influence over respondents. Career decision making among TVET engineering students showed to be characterised by turning points. Careership theory proved to be an ideal theory in explaining career decision making in a South African TVET context. The young people proved to have a sense of urgency in their career decision-making and most of them did not receive career guidance prior to enrolling at the TVET college.