Doctoral Degrees (School of Education Studies)
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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (School of Education Studies) by Subject "Action research"
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Item Open Access Chronicles of the experiences of orphaned students in a higher education institution in Kwazulu-Natal(University of the Free State, 2015-02) Mthiyane, Ncamisile Parscaline; Nkoane, M. M.; Beyers, C.English: Given the escalating number of orphans globally, orphanhood and caring for the orphaned has become one of the major challenges faced by societies. In South Africa, the major goal for the supportive initiatives and developments is to meet the needs of a democratic society. This growing numbers of Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC’s) may have considerable impact on the higher education institutions (HEIs) and on the lives of higher education (HE) students. One of the consequences of challenges faced by students in HEIs is characterised by the recent access of students from diverse historical, educational, socioeconomic and socio-cultural backgrounds. Access to students from diverse backgrounds previously unrepresented in HE, the disadvantaged and orphaned, is still a challenge for HEIs and to some extent contributes to them giving up their studies or dropping out. Working within the critical emancipatory paradigm, this study seeks to chronicle the experiences of orphaned students at a HEI; to give them a platform on which to voice their perceptions through critical engagement in meaning-making discourses about their lives and circumstances. An eclectic mix of Critical Emancipatory Research (CER) and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (BEST) is utilised with the understanding that orphanhood is a social challenge; and inorder to make any interventions the outcomes are to be psychosocially, historically, politically and culturally responsive or appropriate to individuals who are pushed to margins of the society. While CER in this study addresses issues such as empowerment in contexts, inequality, oppression, domination, suppression, alienation, power and transformation, Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological systems theory is adopted to focus on the quality of interrelationship between HE orphaned students and their contexts. Methodologically, this qualitative study presents how CER and BEST principles are integrated within Participatory Action Research (PAR), an approach which enhances collaborative engagements, and empowers students to take decision by putting theory into practice. A single case study was chosen and utilised to allow for in-depth explorations of the participants’ experiences and how they address orphanhood needs and challenges in a HEI. Purposive snowballing sampling was utilised to identify participants. To generate data from one-on-one and focus group discussions (FGDs), reflection journals and verbal reflections, a Free Attitude Interview (FAI) technique was employed. Considering the sensitive nature of reliving the past in this study, ethical considerations were observed to guard against possible ethical dilemmas, and the less obvious yet harmful effects of research. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) approach was utilised to analyse written texts and spoken words to reveal the discursive sources of power, dominance, inequality, and bias and how these sources are initiated, maintained and transformed within specific contexts. The findings and conclusions of the study have proved the existence of orphaned students in HEI. Further highlighted is how issues of orphanhood, economic challenges and poverty are embedded in how this impact on academic performance, curricula needs and approaches relevant for pre-service teachers. Therefore, following engagement in transformative and participatory methods that embraces students’ capabilities, form basis for psychosocial empowerment. As a recommendation based on findings and conclusions, I have suggested that further studies on the application, monitoring and evaluation of the strategies for care and support framework of the orphaned in an HEI and how these could be linked to and applied utilising participatory approaches (PAR). Further recommendations include preservice training programmes on psychosocial development; review of HE policies focussing on accessibility and relevancy and creation of ongoing support and mentoring programmes for the students to feel effectively empowered and emancipated in the years spent in HEI an implication for improved rates of input and output.Item Open Access The facilitative role of grade 1 teachers in the development of reading skills in Sesotho(University of the Free State, 2012-08) Ramabenyane, Mamosebatho Julia; Messerschmidt, J. J. E.; Khabanyane, K. E.The study explores the facilitative role of the Grade 1 teachers in the development of reading skills in Sesotho in some Mangaung schools. Since the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) report of 2006 and those of the Systemic Evaluations of 2003 and 2007 revealed that South African learners perform poorly in reading it has became a cause for concern to all. Being a Mosotho by birth, with a personal interest in the development of Sesotho, and also being involved in the teaching of Sesotho at the University of the Free State in the Faculty of Education, School of Social Sciences and Language Education, I became concerned that Sesotho-speaking learners’ performance was the poorest in comparison with other African language speaking learners. My concern was intensified by reports that South African teachers were dissatisfied with their profession and experiencing low morale. This phenomenon evoked my interest in how Grade 1 teachers were facilitating the development of their learners’ reading skills in Sesotho, and motivated me to determine if there was a need to intervene and how the teachers and I would it. I therefore formulated the research question as follows: “How can I assist the Grade 1 teachers in some Mangaung schools to improve their facilitation of the development of reading skills in Sesotho?” My study is qualitative in nature and is based on Kemmis and McTaggart’s model of spiral of action research cycles, which I adapted to suit the contexts of the participants. Since the study involved improving and changing the disempowering conditions which hamper the teachers’ effectiveness in facilitating the development of reading skills, I approached the study within a constructivist paradigm. As teachers began to construct meaning of their facilitative role in the development of reading skills they made significant inputs into the formulation of the guidelines which they adopted as their own and were eager to implement. Thirteen Grade 1 teachers participated in the in-depth situation analysis of the study and only seven in the intervention. Having considered ethical issues, the participants were interviewed, observed in their classrooms and assessed on how they presented reading lessons to demonstrate their facilitative role in the development of reading skills. Data was analysed inductively allowing for categories and themes to emerge. New insights emerging from the in-depth situation analysis informed how the intervention took place. Since the seven Grade 1 teachers participated in the study as co-researchers, they made inputs in developing the cycles of the action research. Cycle 1 of the intervention was undertaken in the form of an awareness workshop entitled “Empowering teachers: working with the head, heart and hands”. The main objective was to assist teachers to understand better some issues pertaining to their facilitative role. The findings of this cycle showed that in providing assistance and guidance to the teachers, they improved their understanding of the progression from Curriculum 2005 to the National Curriculum Statement and the Foundations for Learning Campaign, of reading policy documents, of the concept reading and the reading process, of their facilitative role, and of integrating components of lesson planning. Their level of motivation and confidence improved after the workshop, which further motivated them to become change agents and to improve their facilitative role by participating in the intervention. The Grade 1 teachers and I therefore proceeded to Cycle 2 in which the teachers were continually assisted to implement the guidelines in Spiral Cycle 1, improved the implementation of the guidelines in Spiral Cycle 2 and assessed the implementation of the guidelines in Spiral Cycle 3. The findings of the intervention show that teachers were motivated and gained confidence in having improved their facilitative role in the development of reading skills. They attached value to the collaboration established among themselves, their colleagues from the school they partnered with in my study and between some of the lecturers at the UFS. They have deepened the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes from participating in the study pertaining to their facilitative role in the development of reading skills. Most importantly, they have become aware that they can resolve their own problems by planning, acting, observing and reflecting on their practice. They understand that improving their facilitative role is an ongoing process which can be made easier if they have the necessary resources such as reading books and that they are continuously supported and motivated to commit to their practice.