Exploring strategies to enhance democratic management practices in teacher education classrooms in a selected South African university
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Date
2024
Authors
Omodan, Taiwo Christianah
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
Democratic classroom management practices play a vital role in fostering student participation and exposing learners to diverse perspectives and engagement opportunities in educational settings. However, there exists a significant disparity between the ideals of democratic education and the prevailing traditional classroom management approaches observed in university classrooms. In South Africa, the translation of democratic principles into actionable classroom management strategies remains a challenge, particularly within university classrooms. To address these challenges, this study examined the perceptions of student-teachers and lecturers regarding democratic classroom management practices in university-based teacher training. The study adopts critical theory as its guiding framework and employs a transformative research paradigm within a qualitative research approach. A participatory research design is utilised, with data being collected through observation and semi-structured interviews involving 10 student-teachers and 5 lecturers from a selected university in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Thematic analysis is employed to analyse the data. The study is divided into three publishable articles, with the main findings emphasising the necessity for comprehensive reforms in teacher education to establish inclusive and democratic learning environments that strike a balance between student autonomy and classroom discipline. Additionally, the study reveals resistance to participatory learning due to traditional teaching methods and institutional constraints, highlighting the need for systemic changes to promote equitable and inclusive democratic management practices in university classrooms. Finally, by emphasising student engagement, collaborative teaching, and critical reflection, the study underscores the importance of inclusive and democratic classroom environments in preparing students for real-world challenges. The study formulates and recommends a Democratic Classroom Management Model to facilitate effective democratic classroom management practices.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.(Education Management and Leadership))--University of the Free State, 2024
Keywords
Democratic practices, Classroom management, Democratic management practices, Teacher education