ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Bureaucratic Accountability in the Education Action Zones of South Africa
Author: Fleisch, Brahm
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Administrative Organization,Accountability,Educational Improvement,School Turnaround,Secondary Schools,Test Results,Program Effectiveness,Educational Policy,Comparative Analysis,Grades (Scholastic),Academic Achievement,Achievement Gains,Intervention,Student Certification,Regression (Statistics),Statistical Analysis

The Education Action Zone programme in Gauteng province, South Africa, has been widely seen as a very successful school improvement initiative, with particular significance as it represents a unique model of top-down, bureaucratic accountability as a vehicle for turning- around dysfunctional secondary schools. In this article I evaluate the impact of the initiative through an analysis of the senior secondary examination results for 1999-2002, in the 70 schools involved in the programme. It was found that the EAZ schools made significant gains in the overall pass rate, university pass rates, number of &quot;A&quot; symbols , and average mark. The results of comparative analysis confirmed the overall success of the programme. However an alternative explanation raised questions about the mechanisms of improvement by uncovering a relationship between gains in examination results and learner exclusion.
Leadership in School-Based Management: A Case Study in Selected Schools
Author: Botha, Nico
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,School Based Management,Case Studies,Educational Improvement,Secondary Schools,Qualitative Research,Principals,Leadership Role,School Effectiveness,Decision Making

According to the literature on school-based management, there are two clear schools of thought on this issue. One school views school-based management as a positive and successful vehicle of school improvement. The other argues that it has been minimally successful in school improvement. The leadership role of the school principal is widely regarded as the primary factor contributing to a successful relationship between school-based management and school improvement and is therefore an essential dimension of successful school-based management. This article, derived from a qualitative case study undertaken among a number of divergent secondary schools in Gauteng province, is an attempt to conceptualise the important and pivotal leadership role of the school principal in ensuring school improvement via effective school-based management in South African schools.
Daring to Dream: Sustaining Support for Undocumented Students at the Evergreen State College
Author: Huerta, Grace
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Campuses,Undocumented Immigrants,College Students,Safety,Immigration,Politics of Education,Political Issues,Court Litigation

With the 1982 Supreme Court decision in the case of Plyler v. Doe, K-12 students, regardless of their immigration status, were able to access a free public school education without the threat of deportation. However, such clarity has not been the case for undocumented students pursuing higher education. As increasing numbers of undocumented students graduate from high school, some with undocumented parents and some who are unaccompanied youth seeking asylum, many dream of the opportunity to attend college (Perry, 2014). And yet, many &quot;Dreamers&quot; are unable to do so because of little access to financial aid, the lack of accurate information, the absence of institutional support, language and cultural barriers, and ultimately, the fear of deportation or the deportation of their loved ones. In response to these overwhelming challenges and increased fear and uncertainty raised since the 2016 elections, The Evergreen State College (TESC) is developing a framework to better support undocumented students as they seek their college degrees. In the following article, we describe the components of this framework and the steps taken thus far to ensure that the College is responsive to the needs of undocumented students. First, we consider the broader political conditions and policies, such as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the sanctuary movement, which together are impacting the responses of higher education institutions nationwide. From there, we discuss how other state higher education institutions are responding to the needs of undocumented students and how we hope to continue doing so at The Evergreen State College.
A Blueprint for Democratic Citizenship Education in South African Public Schools: African Teachers' Perceptions of Good Citizenship
Author: Schoeman, Sonja
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Citizenship Education,Democratic Values,Public Schools,Teacher Attitudes,School Role,Thinking Skills,Patriotism,Interpersonal Competence,Participation,Interviews,Individual Characteristics,Civil Rights,Hypothesis Testing,Community,Moral Values,Social Attitudes,Behavior Standards,Knowledge Level,Political Issues,Critical Thinking

The notion that South African public schools have a distinctively civic mission is recognised in all national education policy documents published since the first democratic election in 1994. The teaching of democratic citizenship education in public schools is a newcomer to South Africa. The purpose in this article is to summarise scholars' views on the attributes of a good citizen and the role of the school in this regard and to report the outcomes of a research project on African teachers' perceptions on the factors contributing to good citizenship. Ascertaining what scholars and African teachers thought would provide a reasonable starting point for addressing the issue of education for democratic citizenship in South African public schools.
The Founding of the Learning Communities Association
Author: Huerta, Juan Carlos
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Communities of Practice,Professional Associations,Educational Opportunities,Teacher Participation,Organizational Objectives,Organizational Theories,Institutional Mission,National Organizations,Teacher Associations

Learning communities have reached the point in their growth that we now need a professional association to allow for more opportunities for participation in advancing learning communities. This is the story of the founding of the new Learning Communities Association.
State Interference in the Governance of Public Schools
Author: Prinsloo, Sakkie
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Public Schools,Governance,Government (Administrative Body),Parent Rights,Administrative Organization,Governing Boards,Religion,Language of Instruction,Student Behavior,School Policy,Personnel Selection,School Personnel,Money Management,Educational Finance

The establishment of school governing bodies represents a significant decentralisation of power in the South African school system. Whilst such decentralisation could well be expected to mean an increase in democratic participation in the governance of schools, this is not necessarily the case. The State, its functionaries, and organs of the State have been endeavouring to assert themselves to an increasing extent by limiting or interfering in the real authority that can be exercised by school-level governance structures. Since 1996 parents have had no other option but to appeal to the court, in cases where provincial heads of education departments and their officials have taken illegal actions against schools, or where officials have failed to carry out their duties towards schools. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how the rights of parents, to have a say in the governance of a public school, are being violated by interference of the State or by officials who jeopardise the smooth functioning of schools by failing to carry out their duties.
Teaching as a Career Choice: Attractors and Deterrents Identified by Grade 11 Learners
Author: Park, Thomas
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teaching (Occupation),Career Choice,High School Students,Grade 11,Student Attitudes,Educational Attitudes,Questionnaires,Influences,Barriers,Comparative Analysis,Teacher Student Relationship,Teaching Conditions,School Safety,Compensation (Remuneration),Teacher Role

Any strategic plan to address the predicted shortage of teachers will have to include the promotion of the teaching profession as an attractive career. This will, however, depend largely on how successfully the campaign takes into account the favourable and less favourable opinions and perceptions of learners about the education system as a whole and about teaching as a career. This research project focused on Grade 11 learners because this is the stage at which many learners are seriously considering different career options. The results obtained by this project highlighted specific attractors and deterrents that were identified by the respondents, which might influence their decision to consider teaching as a career. The prospect of working with children, sharing knowledge with others, playing an important part in the development of society in general, and making an important contribution to community development were experienced as strong attractors. In contrast, strong deterrents identified by the study were: the respondents' perception that pupils no longer respect teachers, their negative assessment of teachers' remuneration, the perceived unpleasant working conditions caused by poor discipline in schools, their observation that teachers do not look very happy in their jobs and the perceived extent of violence in schools.
The Involvement of Teachers in School Change: A Comparison between the Views of School Principals in South Africa and Nine Other Countries
Author: Swanepoel, Cassie
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Comparative Analysis,Principals,Foreign Countries,Educational Change,Questionnaires,Secondary Schools,Secondary School Teachers,Teacher Administrator Relationship,Teacher Participation,Statistical Analysis

Previous international studies, in which the authors participated, have revealed that involvement of teachers in decision-making and responsibility-taking processes is crucial for their receptiveness towards implementation of current and future educational change. It is also evident that the role and responsibilities of school principals have changed significantly over the last decade or two. An indication was obtained of the views of South African secondary-school principals regarding the involvement of their teachers in processes of school change and these were compared to the views of school principals from other countries. The results for the South African sample, as well as those for the other nine countries, showed that there was fairly strong support for the involvement of teachers in most school-change activities. It also appeared that, in comparison to other countries, principals in the South African sample occupied a middle position in all of four clusters of possible activities, as well as for the mean questionnaire score.
Factors Associated with High School Learners' Poor Performance: A Spotlight on Mathematics and Physical Science
Author: Makgato, Moses
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Mathematics Achievement,Science Achievement,Low Achievement,Focus Groups,Teaching Methods,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Motivation,Laboratories,Parent Role,Language Usage,Grade 11,Grade 12,School Districts,Semi Structured Interviews,Qualitative Research

This study, using a non-experimental, exploratory and descriptive method, established learners' and educators' views about factors that contribute to poor performance in mathematics and physical science. Participants were purposefully selected from seven schools with poor pass rates in District 3 of Tshwane North. Focused group interviews with ten Grade 11 learners from each school were used as a means to collect data. In addition, one-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted widi ten educators from the participating schools. Results indicated that two factors were identifiable. The first identified to have a direct influence related to teaching strategies, content knowledge, motivation, laboratory use, and non-completion of the syllabus in a year. The second factor, associated with indirect influences, was attributed to the role played by parents in their children's education, and general language usage together with its understanding in thee two subjects. Recommendations as well as suggestions for further research aimed at addressing the identified factors are advanced.
Teacher Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Teacher Appraisal in Botswana
Author: Monyatsi, Pedzani
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Effectiveness,Foreign Countries,Teacher Evaluation,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,Semi Structured Interviews,Questionnaires

The major aim of teacher appraisal is to develop teachers in order to improve their delivery in schools. The effectiveness of the process of teacher appraisal is, however, dependent on the perceptions of the teachers themselves. Since the expansion of the education system of Botswana in the 1970s and 1980s, as a result of the cardinal reforms, there has been concern about quality. One of the quality assurance measures introduced was teacher appraisal. The current teacher appraisal scheme in Botswana was introduced in 1992 as a non-threatening, valid, and extensive system to develop the individual and the school. In this article we address the following question: What are teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of the current system of teacher appraisal as practised in Botswana secondary schools? Both quantitative and qualitative methods of research were employed to address the question. The teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of their appraisal are categorised according to the following key terms: teacher performance; motivation of teachers; working relationships; teacher training on appraisal; &quot;an axe ready to chop teachers&quot;; and &quot;no purpose&quot; .
Evaluation of a Number Skills Development Programme
Author: Pietersen, Charlotte
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Elementary School Students,Grade 2,Numeracy,Primary Education,Mathematics Instruction,Program Effectiveness,Pretests Posttests,Correlation,Mathematics Skills,Skill Development,Questionnaires,Elementary School Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Outcomes of Education,Scores,Educational Quality,Educational Equipment,Statistical Analysis,Hypothesis Testing

A pre-test post-test correlated groups design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Shuttleworth/Rotary Number Skills Development Programme to enhance the numeracy of Grade 2 learners (N = 169) from five primary schools (a private school, a school of auditory impaired learners, and three rural schools). An unstructured questionnaire was employed to obtain teachers' views about the program (n = 5). The findings of the study showed that the programme was effective in developing the numeracy of the total sample, and of learners from the different types of schools. It was concluded that the use of concrete educational material should be central in the teaching of number skills in Grade 2. The teachers also indicated that the programme was beneficial to learners and to themselves. However differences in the improvement of the numeracy scores of the five classes were found (possibly due to difference in instructional quality). Therefore, it is recommended that teachers should be trained in the use of educational equipment and also to create an optimal learning environment. Further research, with more representatives samples, is required to verify the effectiveness of (and broaden) the application of the programme, and to explore teacher-related variables that could limit numeracy development in learners.
Identifying Resilient and Non-Resilient Middle-Adolescents in a Formerly Black-Only Urban School
Author: Mampane, Ruth
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Resilience (Psychology),Adolescents,Urban Schools,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Interviews,Coping,Student Behavior,Grade 8,Grade 9,Foreign Countries,Blacks,Student Characteristics,Mixed Methods Research,Questionnaires,Secondary School Students,Likert Scales,Observation

The aim in this study was to develop a way of identifying resilient and non-resilient middle adolescents in a formerly black-only urban residential (township) school, in order to ultimately support the development of learners' resilience under stressful circumstances. A Resilience Scale was developed to screen for resilient and non-resilient learners by means of self evaluation. A Learning Behaviour Scale was developed to examine the ability of the teachers to reliably recognise learners' resilient and non-resilient academic and social behaviours. As a control, in-depth interviews were conducted, to evaluate the construct validity of results on the two scales qualitatively and to identify themes signifying resilience and non-resilience in the coping behaviour of middle-adolescents in a township school. The participants were 190 learners in Grade 8 and 9 who all completed the Resilience Scale, 12 learners selected on the basis of their Resilience Scale scores who were interviewed, and eight curricular teachers who completed the Learning Behaviour Scale in respect of the 12 selected learners. All the items of the Resilience Scale proved statistically reliable. However, the interview data profile differed from the Resilience Scale profile in the lower range, suggesting that the scale failed to reliably reflect non-resilience in the context of a formerly black-only urban school. The results on the Learning Behaviour Scale differed from both learner-based data sets, suggesting that the teachers were wholly unable to identify resilience and non-resilience in their learners.
Measuring Usability Compliance of a Stand-Alone Educational Tablet: The Users' Perspective, Nigeria
Author: Tijani, Olawale Kazeem
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Usability,Handheld Devices,Technology Uses in Education,Student Satisfaction,Retention (Psychology),Error Correction,Secondary School Students,Electronic Libraries,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,Data Analysis

This study assessed usability compliance of Opón-Ìmò Technology Enhanced Learning System (OTELS), Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated: students' satisfaction with the OTELS; its efficiency; retentiveness; learnability and capacity to reduce errors. Being a survey study, samples were drawn from six secondary schools across the three Senatorial districts of Osun state, Nigeria. 701 students were purposively selected as sampled for the study. A researcher-constructed questionnaire: Usability Compliant Questionnaire was used for data collection. The instrument was administered on 40 selected students outside the sample location through test-retest strategy; it yielded reliability value of 0.87 through Pearsons Product Moment Correlation statistics. Data were analysed with frequency counts and percentages to answer research questions one to five. Results revealed that 70% of respondents expressed satisfaction with the OTELS; 73% found the OTELS efficient; 68% found it retentive; 76% found the OTELS learnable; and 59% agreed that the OTELS is capable of reducing errors when in use. The study concluded that the OTELS is usable for learning among secondary school students in the state. It was recommended among others that Osun state government may constantly update the learning system to sustain its use among secondary school students.
Predictors of Learner Performance in Mathematics and Science According to a Large-Scale Study in Mpumalanga
Author: Maree, Kobus
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Secondary School Students,Predictor Variables,Mathematics Achievement,Science Achievement,Grade 8,Grade 9,Questionnaires,Gender Differences,Hypothesis Testing,Scores,Science Tests,Mathematics Tests,Language Minorities,Regression (Statistics)

Eight hundred and ninety-nine (431 male, 467 female and one missing value) Grade 8 and 9 (n = 184 and 713, respectively, with two missing values) learners from secondary schools in Mpumalanga completed a science and mathematics questionnaire. Student's t tests showed that male and female, as well as language groups' scores, differed significantly. Stepwise non-linear regression shows that a combination of factors contributes significantly to learner, science and mathematics performance (R[superscript 2] = 25%, 20%, and 11%, respectively).
The Effectiveness of Mentoring in the Distance Teacher Education Programme at the Lesotho College of Education: Student Teachers' and Tutors' Perceptions
Author: Mohono-Mahlatsi, Lydia
Date: 2006-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mentors,Teacher Effectiveness,Teacher Education Programs,Foreign Countries,Teacher Education,Schools of Education,Student Teachers,Tutors,Student Attitudes,Elementary School Teachers,Inservice Teacher Education,Focus Groups,Distance Education,Research Design,Qualitative Research

In response to the need for more qualified primary school teachers in Lesotho, the Lesotho College of Education (LCE) introduced the Distance Teacher Education Programme (DT EP), an in-service training programme for unqualified and underqualified teachers. As part of the curriculum in this programme, the more than 1 200 student teachers who were enrolled needed to be supported and mentored, but were served by only 16 tutors in six different regions. As one of the tutors and mentors in the DTEP, the researcher (LM-M) undertook a qualitative perception survey through focus group discussions with student teachers and tutors in the DTEP. The researcher was able to evaluate the mentoring system in the DTEP according to the functions of effective mentoring, as identified in a literature review. The strengths and weaknesses identified in the survey are highlighted and recommendations are made for different stakeholders on how the mentoring system can be improved.