3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Recontextualising knowledge in the curriculum in public management(2014-02-24) Hewlett, LynnCurriculum in Public Management has been under-theorised in terms of sociological perspectives particularly those addressing the social nature of how curriculum choices are made, the types of knowledge and social relations that curricula reflect, the identities of the civil servant graduates that are privileged through these relationships and the implications of these choices for both student and staff identity and student progress. Providing evidence from a single qualitative case study this thesis examines and analyses the development of a Masters curriculum in Public Management in South Africa designed to educate public servants for a post-apartheid civil service during the years 1993-2005. This curriculum was developed by recontextualising content from various disciplines and by reference to the field of practice. This study examines various attempts to overcome fragmentation in the curriculum, the logics that were seen as being potentially integrating and difficulties experienced in using these logics as a basis for integrating curriculum contents. It draws on concepts and models developed by Basil Bernstein theorising regions, recontextualisation and integrated curriculum types. This study enables an analysis of the difficulties experienced in successfully implementing a curriculum in the under-examined area of taught, conversion-type, postgraduate Masters degrees in higher education. The findings show that each of the integrating logics that were appealed to were not able to adequately fulfil an ‘integrating’ function. Curriculum developers struggled to shape a curriculum that was coherent where criteria for progress were clear and shared. Curriculum developers drew on integrating ideas that were sometimes contradictory and proved difficult to turn into principles for developing strong and explicit relationships between an idea (or ideal) and what was taught. By not examining curriculum in terms of its key role in classifying educational knowledge and blurring boundaries between different knowledge forms this curriculum did not take into account the various roles that different boundaries play for structuring progression and shaping both learner and staff identities. Attempts to combine practice and the theoretical without explicit engagement with their iv differences and the implications of these for curriculum and pedagogy resulted in neither the ‘academic’ nor the ‘professional’ being strengthened over time.Item The interplay between teachers and texts in adult basic education and training (ABET) : a case study.(2013-05-22) Steinberg, CarolaThis research report explores the implications of one central question: ‘In what ways can course materials support and improve ABET teachers’ ability in the classroom and what are the limits of that support?’ Methodologically it is an ethnographic case study of five teachers at company literacy programmes using The ELP English Literacy Course for Adults to prepare learners for examinations at ABET English Communications Levels 1&2. Conceptually it makes use of Shirley Grundy’s exposition of different paradigms for thinking about curriculum and Jean Lave’s notion of learning in a community of practice. It portrays literacy as a social practice in which people learn to master skills, make decisions about the applications of those skills and develop an emancipatory awareness. The research enables insights into the relationship between ABET teachers and texts, outlining their respective responsibilities and some implications for thinking about ABET teacher development.Item Curriculum development in an urban refugee centre in South Africa.(2010-11-12) Pausigere, PeterThe Zimbabwean refugees sheltered at Holy Cross Church* in central Johannesburg have taken the initiative to develop their own curriculum. There have been many orientations to curriculum development with current reconceptualisations emphasising practical and descriptive curriculum development approaches. This research is framed specifically by Walker’s naturalistic curriculum development model, the community-based approach to education development, literature on refugee education and generally by broader theories of curriculum. The study employed the ethnographic research method and gathered data through non-participant observation, interviews and document analysis. Taking a wider approach to curriculum development and in the context of displaced people, the research redefined the term curriculum developer to mean ordinary people and refugees in their communal social setting. This study provides an analysis and description of how the refugees successfully initiated and developed effective learning and training programmes which resulted in the establishment of a school, early childhood, adult-education and vocational training centres. The refugee meetings and school council deliberation forums guided by common values and political, social and economic factors made practically defensible, education and training resolutions on language, school policies, curriculum options, pedagogy, knowledge and certification issues. On the forms of refugee-emergency education, the refugee school curriculum followed that of the country of origin, with some minor modifications thereby preparing learners for return to their country. The training programmes utilised a slightly adjusted curriculum of the host country in synergies with local private colleges and prepared the refugees to integrate into the host country’s economic communities. To improve the quality of education and training at Holy Cross there is need for intervention from government and international humanitarian organisations. In addition to the academic curriculum, subjects with a social reconstructionist ideology, double-shift schooling and democratic teaching and learning approaches must be introduced as well as awarding refugees with regionally recognised training certificates.