'n Ondersoek na aangepaste assesseringsmetodes vir leerders met hindernisse tot leer in primêre skole in the Motheo-distrik

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Date
2007-11
Authors
Mol, Anna Martha
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: Worldwide, governments and other interested parties in education advocate quality education as well as education for all. This implies that teaching cannot merely be seen as the teaching of subject content and the mastering of knowledge on a cognitive level. Other aspects, such as skills, values, attitudes, the diversity of learners, differentiation and inclusive teaching methods are also being emphasised. This can be seen in the changes that occurred in the South African education system during the last eleven years. The above mentioned implies that teachers need to apply inclusive teaching methods, which includes adaptive assessment. This research is a descriptive qualitative and quantitative study with the aim to determine to what extent adaptive and alternative methods of assessment are being used by teachers to accommodate learners with barriers to learning and development. The influences on, shortcomings and necessity of adaptive and alternative assessment methods, have also been investigated. In order to achieve the goal of the study, a literature overview and empirical research have been conducted. The literature overview focuses on assessment in an outcomes based/inclusive context. The purpose of the literature is twofold: 1) to provide the necessary background knowledge regarding the necessity of the use of adaptive and alternative assessment methods; and 2) to give suggested guidelines to teachers in the implementation of adaptive assessment methods in order to accommodate learners with barriers to learning and development. In order to successfully implement these methods of assessment, it is essential that teachers have knowledge of outcomes based assessment, multilevel teaching, barriers to learning and development and inclusive teaching methods, which includes adaptive assessment. The empirical research has been conducted by means of two sets of questionnaires. One set of questionnaires was given to selected primary schools in the Motheo district, while the other set of questionnaires was completed by the district-based support team of the Motheo district. The findings of the empirical research show that teachers and district officials do not have the necessary knowledge and understanding regarding the relevant policy documents to implement inclusive teaching methods successfully. A significant number of the teachers and district officials also did not receive any training in inclusive teaching methods. The support teams that are supposed to be in place according to White Paper 6 do not function as desired. Although the respondents indicated that adaptive and alternative methods of assessment are being used in schools, it has been clear from the research that the respondents don’t really know what these types of assessment methods entails and that they are not aware of the different types of alternative and adaptive assessment methods. The study also revealed that teachers and district officials require essential and applicable training in order to implement inclusive teaching methods, including adaptive and alternative assessment methods, in schools. The conclusion was reached that alternative and adaptive methods of assessment are not effectively being used in schools to accommodate learners with barriers to learning and development.
Afrikaans: Kwaliteitonderwys, asook onderwys vir almal, word regdeur die wêreld deur regerings en ander belanghebbendes in die onderwyssektor verkondig. Dit impliseer dat onderrig nie meer beskou kan word as bloot die onderrig van vakinhoud en die bemeestering van kennis op ʼn kognitiewe vlak nie. Ander aspekte soos vaardighede, waardes, gesindhede, diversiteit van leerders, differensiasie en inklusiewe onderrigmetodes word ook nou benadruk. Dit kan waargeneem word in die veranderings wat die afgelope elf jaar in die Suid- Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel plaasgevind het. Bogenoemde impliseer dus ook dat onderwysers inklusiewe onderrigmetodes, wat aangepaste assessering insluit, moet toepas. Hierdie navorsing is ʼn beskrywende kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe studie met die doel om te bepaal in watter mate aangepaste en alternatiewe assesseringsmetodes deur onderwysers gebruik word om leerders met hindernisse tot leer te akkommodeer. Die invloede op, tekortkominge en noodsaaklikheid van aangepaste en alternatiewe assesseringsmetodes is ook ondersoek. Ten einde die doel van die studie te bereik, is daar van ʼn literatuuroorsig en ʼn empiriese navorsing gebruik gemaak. Die literatuuroorsig fokus op assessering in ʼn uitkomsgebaseerde/inklusiewe konteks asook aangepaste assessering. Die doel van die literatuuroorsig is tweërlei van aard: 1) om die nodige agtergrondkennis te verskaf rakende die noodsaaklikheid van die gebruik van aangepaste en alternatiewe assesseringsmetodes; en 2) om voorgestelde riglyne aan onderwysers te gee met die implementering van aangepaste assesseringsmetodes om sodoende leerders met hindernisse tot leer en ontwikkeling te akkommodeer. Ten einde hierdie assesseringsmetodes suksesvol toe te pas, is dit essensieel dat onderwysers kennis dra van uitkomsgebaseerde assessering, multivlak-onderrig, hindernisse tot leer en ontwikkeling en inklusiewe onderrigmetodes, wat alternatiewe en aangepaste assessering insluit. Die empiriese navorsing is deur middel van twee stelle vraelyste uitgevoer. Een stel vraelyste is aan onderwysers in geselekteerde primêre skole in die Motheodistrik gegee, terwyl ʼn ander stel vraelyste deur die distrikgebaseerde ondersteuningspan in die Motheo-distrik voltooi is. Die bevindings van die empiriese navorsing toon dat onderwysers en distriksbeamptes nie oor die nodige kennis en begrip rakende relevante beleidsdokumente beskik om inklusiewe onderrigmetodes suksesvol te implementeer nie. ʼn Beduidende aantal van die onderwysers en distriksbeamptes het ook nie enige opleiding in inklusiewe onderrigmetodes ontvang nie. Die ondersteuningspanne wat volgens Onderwyswitskrif 6 in plek moet wees ten einde inklusiewe onderwys effektief te implementeer, funksioneer ook nog nie na wense nie. Alhoewel die respondente wel aangetoon het dat aangepaste en alternatiewe assessering in skole gebruik word, het dit in die studie duidelik na vore gekom dat respondente nie werklik weet wat hierdie tipe assesseringsmetodes behels nie en nie bewus is van die verskillende alternatiewe en aangepaste assesseringsmetodes nie. Die studie het ook verder lig gewerp op die behoefte van onderwysers en distriksbeamptes om die nodige en toepaslike opleiding te ontvang ten einde inklusiewe onderrigmetodes, insluitend alternatiewe en aangepaste assesseringsmetodes, wel in skole te kan implementeer. Daar is tot die slotsom gekom dat alternatiewe en aangepaste assesseringsmetodes nie effektief in skole gebruik word om leerders met hindernisse tot leer te akkommodeer nie.
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Keywords
Dissertation (M.Ed. (Psychology of Education))--University of the Free State, 2007, Learning disabled children -- Education -- South Africa -- Free State, Competency-based education -- South Africa -- Free State, Learning disabled children -- Educational evaluation, Adaptive assessment methods, Outcomes based assessment, Outcomes based education, School-based support team, Multilevel teaching, Inclusive education, Barriers to learning and development, District-based support team, Alternative assessment methods, Support team
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