Insights from returning teachers’ exposure to curriculum change and professional development

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Date
2013
Authors
Du Plessis, Elize
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: The continuous professional development of teachers is vital for the well-being of any education system. This article reflects on the adoption and implementation of the National Curriculum Statement with its outcomes-based education approach by teachers who returned to teaching after having been out of the education system for a number of years. Systems theory was used as a theoretical framework for this research. The research was done in 2010, with follow-up interviews during 2012 to include the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement. These teachers responded to 12 items in an open-ended questionnaire on issues related to the changing curriculum and professional development as part of the education system. The article suggests that the professional development of teachers (in particular those who have been out of the system for some years) needs to be improved in order to ensure that the new curriculum is adopted and does not remain merely a policy document that is inefficiently implemented in its entirety.
Afrikaans: Voortdurende professionele ontwikkeling van onderwysers is noodsaaklik vir die welstand van enige opvoedkundige stelsel. In hierdie artikel word gereflekteer oor die aanvaarding en implementering van die Nasionale Kurrikulumverklaring, met sy uitkomsgebaseerde onderwys-benadering, deur onderwysers wat, nadat hulle vir ’n aantal jare uit die onderwysstelsel was, teruggekeer het om weer skool te hou. Die sisteemteoretiese benadering is as teoretiese raamwerk vir hierdie navorsing gebruik. Die navorsing is in 2010 gedoen, met opvolgonderhoude in 2012, wat voorsiening gemaak het vir die Kurrikulum en Assesseringsbeleid-benadering. Hierdie onderwysers het gerespondeer op 12 items in ’n oop vraelys, rakende kwessies oor kurrikulumverandering en professionele ontwikkeling as deel van die onderwysstelsel. Daar word aanbeveel dat professionele ontwikkeling van onderwysers (veral vir diegene wat vir ’n aantal jare uit die stelsel was) verbeter behoort te word, ten einde te verseker dat die nuwe kurrikulum aanvaar word en nie slegs ’n beleidsdokument bly, wat nie effektief in sy geheel geïmplementeer word nie.
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Keywords
Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD), National Curriculum Statement, Assessment Policy Statement
Citation
Du Plessis, E. (2013). Insights from returning teachers' exposure to curriculum change and professional development. Acta Academica, 45(1), 58-78.