The scholastic experience of black learners in multicultural FET schools in the Northern Cape
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Date
2010-05
Authors
Mpisi, Anthony Sydney
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: In 1994, the new democratic government brought with it a desegregated national education system that resulted in an influx of large numbers of black learners at historically white schools. Meier (2005:170) states that some of the black learners, who were accepted at historically white schools, found it very difficult to adjust to the new educational environment, because they lacked the language skills and required background knowledge to deal with the curriculum contents and medium of instruction. In the Northern Cape, multicultural education unfolded in a similar fashion, as in the rest of South Africa. Currently 69% of all learners registered at historically white Further Education and Training (FET) schools in the province are black, whilst only 9% of the teaching staff is black (Northern Cape Department of Education, EMIS, 2008). The staff complement in most historically white schools does not reflect the concomitant learner population of these schools. This is a clear indication of the uneven distribution of the educator-learner ratio, if the issue of culture is considered. This state of affairs may result in cultural misunderstandings and the consequent breakdown in educator-learner relations. This may result in the escalation of unsatisfactory scholastic experiences internalised by black learners. The aim of the study is to evaluate the scholastic experience of black learners in multicultural FET schools in the Northern Cape. The objectives are: to ascertain what the characteristics of multicultural education are, as well as the issues and challenges learners and educators are confronted with; and to provide staff members with effective and practical guidelines and strategies in dealing with underlying pedagogical challenges, relating to the current scholastic experiences of black learners in multicultural school settings. The study will comprise of a literature study as well as an empirical investigation, by way of the quantitative research method. Self designed questionnaires will be used to gather information from both educators and learners, respectively. It may therefore be possible that these findings may be used to improve the teaching and learning process. It is further hoped that the latter may ultimately lead to the improvement of the scholastic experience of black learners in multicultural FET schools in the Northern Cape. Finally, the findings of this study may also be used to develop an educator‘s guide for staff of multicultural FET schools in the Northern Cape. This educator‘s guide will comprise of effective and practical guidelines, skills, strategies as well as approaches with which multicultural teaching and learning could be pursued.
Afrikaans: In 1994, the new democratic government brought with it a desegregated national education system that resulted in an influx of large numbers of black learners at historically white schools. Meier (2005:170) states that some of the black learners, who were accepted at historically white schools, found it very difficult to adjust to the new educational environment, because they lacked the language skills and required background knowledge to deal with the curriculum contents and medium of instruction. In the Northern Cape, multicultural education unfolded in a similar fashion, as in the rest of South Africa. Currently 69% of all learners registered at historically white Further Education and Training (FET) schools in the province are black, whilst only 9% of the teaching staff is black (Northern Cape Department of Education, EMIS, 2008). The staff complement in most historically white schools does not reflect the concomitant learner population of these schools. This is a clear indication of the uneven distribution of the educator-learner ratio, if the issue of culture is considered. This state of affairs may result in cultural misunderstandings and the consequent breakdown in educator-learner relations. This may result in the escalation of unsatisfactory scholastic experiences internalised by black learners. The aim of the study is to evaluate the scholastic experience of black learners in multicultural FET schools in the Northern Cape. The objectives are: to ascertain what the characteristics of multicultural education are, as well as the issues and challenges learners and educators are confronted with; and to provide staff members with effective and practical guidelines and strategies in dealing with underlying pedagogical challenges, relating to the current scholastic experiences of black learners in multicultural school settings. The study will comprise of a literature study as well as an empirical investigation, by way of the quantitative research method. Self designed questionnaires will be used to gather information from both educators and learners, respectively. It may therefore be possible that these findings may be used to improve the teaching and learning process. It is further hoped that the latter may ultimately lead to the improvement of the scholastic experience of black learners in multicultural FET schools in the Northern Cape. Finally, the findings of this study may also be used to develop an educator‘s guide for staff of multicultural FET schools in the Northern Cape. This educator‘s guide will comprise of effective and practical guidelines, skills, strategies as well as approaches with which multicultural teaching and learning could be pursued. Die studie sal bestaan uit ‗n literêre studie sowel as empiriese navorsing, waarin die kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetode gebruik is. Self-ontwerpte vraelyste sal gebruik word om inligting van beide opvoeders en leerders onderskeidelik te verkry. Gevolglik kan hierdie bevindinge gebruik word om die onderrig en leer proses en uiteindelik ook die skolastiese belewing van swart leerders in multikulturele VOO skole in die Noord-Kaap te verbeter. Ten slote, kan die bevindinge van hierdie studie ook aangewend word vir die ontwerp van ‘n opvoedersgids . Hierdie opvoedersgids sal bestaan uit praktiese riglyne, vaardighede, strategieë en benaderings waarmee multikulturele onderrig en leer in multikulturele VOO skole in die Noord-Kaap aangepak kan word.
Afrikaans: In 1994, the new democratic government brought with it a desegregated national education system that resulted in an influx of large numbers of black learners at historically white schools. Meier (2005:170) states that some of the black learners, who were accepted at historically white schools, found it very difficult to adjust to the new educational environment, because they lacked the language skills and required background knowledge to deal with the curriculum contents and medium of instruction. In the Northern Cape, multicultural education unfolded in a similar fashion, as in the rest of South Africa. Currently 69% of all learners registered at historically white Further Education and Training (FET) schools in the province are black, whilst only 9% of the teaching staff is black (Northern Cape Department of Education, EMIS, 2008). The staff complement in most historically white schools does not reflect the concomitant learner population of these schools. This is a clear indication of the uneven distribution of the educator-learner ratio, if the issue of culture is considered. This state of affairs may result in cultural misunderstandings and the consequent breakdown in educator-learner relations. This may result in the escalation of unsatisfactory scholastic experiences internalised by black learners. The aim of the study is to evaluate the scholastic experience of black learners in multicultural FET schools in the Northern Cape. The objectives are: to ascertain what the characteristics of multicultural education are, as well as the issues and challenges learners and educators are confronted with; and to provide staff members with effective and practical guidelines and strategies in dealing with underlying pedagogical challenges, relating to the current scholastic experiences of black learners in multicultural school settings. The study will comprise of a literature study as well as an empirical investigation, by way of the quantitative research method. Self designed questionnaires will be used to gather information from both educators and learners, respectively. It may therefore be possible that these findings may be used to improve the teaching and learning process. It is further hoped that the latter may ultimately lead to the improvement of the scholastic experience of black learners in multicultural FET schools in the Northern Cape. Finally, the findings of this study may also be used to develop an educator‘s guide for staff of multicultural FET schools in the Northern Cape. This educator‘s guide will comprise of effective and practical guidelines, skills, strategies as well as approaches with which multicultural teaching and learning could be pursued. Die studie sal bestaan uit ‗n literêre studie sowel as empiriese navorsing, waarin die kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetode gebruik is. Self-ontwerpte vraelyste sal gebruik word om inligting van beide opvoeders en leerders onderskeidelik te verkry. Gevolglik kan hierdie bevindinge gebruik word om die onderrig en leer proses en uiteindelik ook die skolastiese belewing van swart leerders in multikulturele VOO skole in die Noord-Kaap te verbeter. Ten slote, kan die bevindinge van hierdie studie ook aangewend word vir die ontwerp van ‘n opvoedersgids . Hierdie opvoedersgids sal bestaan uit praktiese riglyne, vaardighede, strategieë en benaderings waarmee multikulturele onderrig en leer in multikulturele VOO skole in die Noord-Kaap aangepak kan word.
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Keywords
Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology of Education))--University of the Free State, 2010, Multicultural education -- South Africa -- Northern Cape, Educational equalization -- South Africa -- Northern Cape, School integration -- South Africa -- Northern Cape, Eurocentric and Afrocentric approaches, White educators, Black learners, Scholastic experience, Multicultural FET schools