Experiences and perceptions of diversity among teachers and learners in racially-integrated schools

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Date
2015-02
Authors
Slabbert, Claire
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of diversity among teachers and learners within a racially-integrated school environment. The political changes which took place in South Africa provided a unique climate of transformation in which the social phenomenon of diversity was explored. The importance of researching diversity has become especially relevant within the school environment as schools are considered to be a microcosm of society at large. The real value of diversity is found in racially-integrated school environments, where experiences and perceptions are considered to be true reflections of a future societal culture. A social psychological perspective served as the theoretical framework for this qualitative research study. Schools, teachers and learners were purposefully sampled from selected racially-integrated high schools in the Motheo district. A total of seventy-two participants who were selected from four Model-C schools participated in the study. Twelve focus group discussions were conducted, of which, two were teacher groups and ten were learner groups. A total of 12 teachers took part in the two focus group discussions of which all 12 participants were female. A total of 10 learner focus group discussions amounted to a total of 60 learners of which 56 were female and four were male. The transcribed data was analysed, using a hybrid approach of thematic analysis. From the initial analysis of teacher and learner focus group discussions, four main themes were identified, namely: Understanding and perceptions of diversity; Challenging experiences related to diversity; Factors which influence reactions to diversity; and The school environment as platform for integration. The combined findings were then discussed under the following headings: Perceptions and understanding of diversity; The challenges related to managing diversity and integration; Approaches to diversity and integration; and The role of school as microsystem of society. The results of this study were confirmed in relation to relevant theoretical perspectives and previous research studies and literature in the field.
Afrikaans: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die verkenning na die diverse ervarings en opvattings van opvoeders en leerders in ’n geïntegreerde skoolomgewing te verken. Die politieke veranderinge wat in Suid-Afrika plaasgevind het, het ’n unieke klimaat van transformasie gebied waarbinne die maatskaplike fenomeen van diversiteit verken kon word. Die erns waarmee diversiteit nagevors word, is veral relevant in die skoolomgewing siende dat skole beskou word as ’n mikro-kosmos van die samelewing as ’n geheel. Die egte waarde van diversiteit kan gevind word in ras-geïntegreerde skoolomgewings waar ervarings en opvattings beskou word as ’n ware weerspieëling van ’n toekomstige maatskaplike kultuur. ’n Sosiaal-sielkundige opvatting het gedien as die teoretiese raamwerk vir hierdie kwalitatiewe ondersoek. Skole, opvoeders en leerders van ras-geïntegreerde hoërskole in die Motheo-distrik het gedien as respondente. Twee-en-sewentig kandidate van vier Model C-skole het aan die studie deelgeneem. Twaalf fokusgroepe is onderneem waarvan twee opvoeder- en tien leerdergroepe was. Twaalf onderwysers in totaal het aan die twee fokusgroepbesprekings deelgeneem waarvan al die deelnemers vroulik was. Tien leerderfokusgroepbesprekings van 60 leerders in totaal is onderneem waarvan 56 vroulik en vier manlik was. ’n Hibridiese benadering tot tematiese ontleding is gebruik in die ontleding van die getranskribeerde data. Die aanvanklike ontleding van opvoeder-leerder-groepe het vier hooftemas uitgelig: Begrip van en opvattings oor diversiteit; Uitdagende diversiteitverwante ervarings; Faktore wat reaksies op diversiteit beïnvloed; en Die skoolomgewing as platform vir integrasie. Die gekombineerde bevindinge is gevolglik bespreek onder die volgende opskrifte: Opvattings oor en begrip van diversiteit; Die uitdagings wat die bestuur en hantering van diversiteit betref; Benaderings tot diversiteit en integrasie; en Die rol van die skool as mikro-omgewing van die samelewing. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie is bevestig in oënskou van relevante teoretiese opvattings en vorige studies en literatuur in hierdie navorsingsveld.
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Keywords
Diversity, Racial-integration, Segregation, Schools, Experiences, Perceptions, Multicultural education --South Africa -- Free State -- Motheo District., Educational renewals -- South Africa --Free State --Motheo District, Teacher-student relationship, School integration -- South Africa -- Free State -- Motheo District, Dissertation (M.A. (Psychology))--University of the Free State, 2015
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