Masters Degrees (School of Education Management, Policy, and Comparative Education)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (School of Education Management, Policy, and Comparative Education) by Subject "Collaboration"

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    Management of implementation of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement for English first additional language
    (University of the Free State, 2023) Monyeke, Tefo Francis; Gcelu, Ntombizandile
    The main goal of the Free State Department of Education is to provide improved quality education but in different ways from school to school and to each learner. The School Management Team has the mandate to manage and implement curriculum policy statement for English First Additional Language in schools. There is significant evidence that has emerged that primary schools underperform in the delivery of their mandatory core duties and responsibilities to manage and implement curriculum policy for English First Additional Language. In this context, educational management must focus on the efforts of teachers, learners, and stakeholders to guarantee quality education throughout the education system. This study focused on the implementation of Curriculum Policy Statement (CAPS) for English FAL. The study drew from the collaborative leadership theory in exploring the accurate picture of collaborative leadership tactics in the discourse. Interpretivist paradigm research was also used in this study. Data was collected through the interviews, and used inductive thematic analysis technique to derive categories and patterns from the data. Four SMT participants from three different schools were interviewed to determine perceptions of EFAL CAPS curriculum implementation for English FAL in primary schools. The results of this study also indicated that most of the SMTs in primary schools are not conversant about their roles and responsibilities in curriculum management. Some were unclear about what they should do in managing curriculum implementation. This study recommends that collaborative leadership management capacitates and develops individuals with the necessary attributes to manage curriculum implementation to achieve a common goal. The study presented appropriate approaches to a school governance strategy that can be adopted by underperforming primary schools. This strategy helps increase parental influence over learning outcomes. The study is significant because learners from different socioeconomic levels are still underperforming. Creating an effective teaching and learning environment is critical to educational leadership.
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    School management teams’ and parents’ collaborative strategies to enhance learner academic performance
    (University of the Free State, 2024) Radebe, Philile; Mdodana-Zide, L.
    Scholars from across the globe have conducted studies and recognised the importance of parents -schools collaborations. South Africa and other nations have adopted several policies and initiatives requiring parents to be involved in their children's education because research demonstrates that learners benefit when schools and parents work together. The study aimed to explore the collaborative strategies of SMTs and parents to enhance learners' academic performance. The following secondary questions guided the study: How do SMTs and parents collaborate to enhance learner academic performance? What challenges do SMTs and parents experience with their collaborative strategies to enhance learner academic performance? What can be done to enhance effective collaborative strategies between the SMTs and parents? Grounded in collaborative leadership theory, the study adopted an interpretive paradigm and employed a qualitative approach. The study used a multiple case study design. Purposive sampling was used to select participants, including two School Governing Body (SGB) parents, one principal, and one Head of Department (HOD) from each of the five schools in Thabo Mofutsanyana District. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Data analysis using thematic analysis revealed four key themes: conceptualisation of collaboration, experiences on parent-school collaboration, challenges on parent-school collaboration, and strategies for enhancing parent-school collaboration. The key findings indicate that although all participant groups recognise the importance of collaboration, obstacles such as limited communication, resource shortages, and a lack of trust impede its effectiveness. The study suggests several strategies to improve collaboration, including holding regular meetings, using various communication platforms, implementing policies, and encouraging active parent participation. The conclusions highlight the necessity for transparent communication, adequate resource support, effective policy implementation, and training programmes to enhance school-parent collaboration. Recommendations include fostering regular communication, addressing resource limitations, bolstering policy implementation, and providing training and support for stakeholders.