Du Toit, G. F.Hay, J.Olivier, Jo-Ann Patricia2017-01-172017-01-172016-01http://hdl.handle.net/11660/5327English: Since the transformation of the South African educational system towards an inclusive education approach, the provision of quality education for all learners have been placed at the foreground. Quality education can be described as access to education whereby all learners receive quality learning, teaching and assessment opportunities. Quality education is determined by the standards/criteria established by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and in the framework of this study, the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for Life Sciences. Assessment as a component of the Curriculum design model is a key element to determine quality. In an inclusive teaching and learning environment the teacher as one of the co-players will be faced with many challenges to ensure that quality education is maintained. During the teaching, learning and assessment situation, the learner with a high intensity need(s) will require support whereby adaptions will have to be provided. The learner’s support need(s) will be identified and established through the Strategy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS) program. However not all learners who experience and have barriers will qualify for additional support and adaptations during assessment opportunities. If this is not conducted in a fair manner it will raise questions on the quality of assessment opportunities. To determine the quality of the assessment, data were collected by means of a qualitative research. Three data collecting instruments were used to collect data. Interviews were conducted with Life Science learners and teachers to get insight into their perceptions of the support that was provided. Observations of the Life Science classroom and assessment practice were conducted to determine if all learners received support according to their needs. An analysis of documents, such as: learning activities, homework, tasks, practical worksheets, projects, informal tests, formal tests and summative exams were conducted to determine if the ‘product’ meets the guidelines for assessment standards as prescribed by the CAPS and SAQA. Findings revealed that the current procedures for accommodating and supporting learners with high intensity needs do take place in the inclusive Life Science assessments. Various problems and breaches were however identified which in some instances brought the quality of the assessment into questioning. Appropriate assessment opportunities to accommodate the learner did adhere to some aspects of quality, however findings indicated that the prescribed cognitive levels as indicated by the CAPS were not fully addressed due to more questions at the lower cognitive level being included. Creating a teaching and learning environment which promotes quality learning experiences for the learner, did not fully occur due to prescribed components being absent and not adhering to alignment. The prescribed criteria set for credible assessment opportunities revealed deviations whereby the validity and reliability of some assessment opportunities were questionable because they only partially adhered to the prescribed criteria. Fairness in assessment for instance the provision of adaptations for learners with barriers were also questioned due to some learners not qualifying for adaptations but are also experiencing barriers in the Life Sciences. The general perception of both teachers and learners were positive regarding the provision of support to learners who experience barriers and equal opportunities for participation in assessment. The research findings allowed the researcher to generate recommendations for promoting appropriate procedures for support provision to learners who experience barriers and appropriate assessment opportunities in Life Sciences for an inclusive educational approach.Afrikaans: Sedert die transformasie van die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel na ‘n inklusieweonderwysbenadering is gehalte-onderwysvoorsiening vir alle leerders in oënskou geneem. Gehalte-onderwys word omskryf as die toegang tot onderwys waar alle leerders kwaliteit onderrigleer-en assessering ontvang. Gehalte-onderwys word gemeet aan die standaarde soos bepaal deur die Suid Afrikaanse Kwalifikasie Owerheid (SAKO) en in die geval van hierdie studie die Kurriukulum en Assesserings Beleidsverklaring (KABV) vir Lewenswetenskappe. Assessering as komponent van die kurrikulumontwerpmodel is ‘n sleutelelement om die gehalte te bepaal. In ‘n inklusiewe leeromgewing word verskeie uitdagings aan die onderwyser as rolspeler gestel om te verseker dat gehalte gehandhaaf word. In die onderrigleer- en assesseringssituasie sal die leerder met ‘n hoë intensiteitbehoefte ondersteuningsbehoeftes ervaar, waarvoor aanpassings voorsien moet word. Die ondersteuning word aan die hand van die “Strategy on Screening Identification, Assessment and Support” (SIAS)-proses geïdentifiseer en dienooreenkomstig bepaal. Nie alle leerders met struikelblokke sal kwalifiseer vir addisionele ondersteuning nie, en dus kan die gehalte van die assessering bevraagteken word indien ‘n leerder nie op ‘n regverdige wyse geassesseer word nie. Data, om die gehalte van die assesseringsingpraktyk te bepaal, is by wyse van kwalitatiewe navorsing ingesamel. Drie navorsingsinstrumente is gebruik om data in te samel. Onderhoude is met Lewenswetenskap-leerders en -onderwysers gevoer om hul menings van die ondersteuning wat gegee word, vas te stel. Observasies is gedoen binne die Lewenswetenskap-klaskamer en die assesseringspraktyke in die konsessiesaal om waar te neem of alle leerders volgens hulle behoeftes geakkommodeer word. ‘n Analise van dokumente soos: leeraktiwiteite, huiswerkopdragte, praktiese werk, projekte, informele toetse, formele toetse en summatiewe eksamens is gedoen om vas te stel in watter mate die ‘produk’ voldoen aan die riglyne soos neergelȇ in die voorgeskrewe assesseringstandaarde van die KABV en SAKO. Bevindings toon dat huidige prosedures vir die ondersteuning en akkommodering van leerders met hoë intensiteitbehoeftes wel binne die inklusiewe Lewenswetenskapassesseringspraktyke plaasvind. Leemtes en probleme is geïdentifiseer wat die gehalte van die assesseringspraktyke in sommige gevalle bevraagteken. Die geskikte assesseringspraktyke om die leerder te akkommodeer het in sekere aspekte aan gehalteassessering voldoen, maar daar is bevind dat die voorgeskrewe kognitiewe vlakke soos in die KABV voorgestel, nie ten volle bereik is nie en dat vrae meestal op die laer vlakke gestel word. Die daarstelling van ‘n onderrigleeromgewing om kwaliteitleer vir die leerder te bevorder het nie ten volle tot uitvoering gekom weens die afwesigheid in sommige gevalle van die belyning tussen die voorgestelde komponente nie. Afwykings van die voorgeskrewe kriteria vir ‘n geloofwaardige assesseringspraktyk is gevind en die geldigheid en betroubaarheid van sommige assesseringspraktyke is betwyfel waar die praktyk(e) slegs gedeeltelik aan die voorgeskrewe kriteria voldoen het. Die regverdigheid van die assesseringpraktyke was ook ter sprake soos die voorsiening van aanpassings aan leerders wat struikelblokke ervaar en diegene wat nie kwalifiseer nie, maar steeds struikelblokke in die Lewenswetenskappe ervaar. Die algemene persepsie van beide die onderwysers en leerders was positief rakende die voorsiening van ondersteuning aan leerders wat struikelblokke ervaar en deelname aan assesseringspraktyke op ‘n regverdige wyse. Die bevindings het die navorser in staat gestel om aanbevelings te maak vir die bevordering van geskikte prosedures vir voorsiening van ondersteuning aan leerders wat struikelblokke ervaar en geskikte assesseringspraktyke in die Lewenswetenskappe vir ‘n inklusieweonderwysbenadering.afInclusive education -- South AfricaLife sciences -- Study teaching -- South AfricaEducation -- South AfricaEducation and equilization -- South AfricaDissertation (M.Ed. (Higher Education Studies))--University of the Free State, 2016DissertationUniversity of the Free State