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This study investigated the mentoring of academics for leadership and management in higher education institutions through the application of contextual intelligence. Experts and professionals generally agree that effective institutional leadership and management mentorship, using contextual knowledge, is crucial for achieving institutional success. The paper aims to illustrate the significance of mentoring institutional leaders and managers using contextual intelligence skills. The dearth of literature on mentoring academics using contextual intelligence in South Africa might be addressed through mentoring, as this practice poses a significant obstacle. The challenges of applying contextual intelligence in mentoring academics are highlighted with a focus on four key areas: mentoring, leadership and management, contextual intelligence, and achieving organisational success. Despite their relatively tiny proportion within the overall framework, these elements exert influence over all aspects of the institution s activities. While tackling each impact individually may result in success, the continuous emergence of new factors makes it unlikely for this method to maintain improvement. The findings illustrate that the perception of improvement is determined by a dynamic and intricate setting. The paper plays a vital role in considering contextual dynamics when mentoring for contextual intelligence. [For the complete Volume 22 proceedings, see ED656158.]

Homeschooling, as a controversial educational practice, raises many questions about its outcomes, which still remain unanswered. The homeschooling population has been growing over the past years, as has interest in this educational paradigm. The increased accessibility and use of emerging information technologies also hold significance in facilitating access to knowledge and contributing to the expansion of this educational trend. In this context, numerous families contemplate homeschooling for several reasons. Yet, the decision to homeschool or not their children is often difficult, as the outcomes are not predictable. Researchers have explored the academic achievements of homeschooling; however, a more significant question remains unanswered: Are homeschoolers happy? This paper aims to provide insight into homeschoolers' perceptions of this matter. Research findings on the life satisfaction of homeschoolers presented here were based on the anonymous responses of an online survey collected between July 2022 and July 2023 from 33 current or former homeschoolers from five countries. This study used the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) to evaluate the well-being of homeschooled individuals who self-assessed their educational experience as well. The paper also examines the advantages and disadvantages of the educational practice as perceived by homeschoolers themselves in an attempt to provide a picture of the satisfaction of homeschoolers with their educational journey. [For the complete Volume 22 proceedings, see ED656158.]

This paper investigates the challenges, mitigation strategies and transformative approaches in educational programme delivery in South African education amidst the adverse influence of the pandemic in schools' Further Education and Training phase with a focus on the integration of technology-enhanced effective teaching and learning; using data obtained from interviews of a data-rich sample of the school management team and teachers of five schools. The noteworthy contribution of this paper to knowledge in the context of Comparative and International Education pertains to transformative strategies for technology-enhanced programme delivery in education. This paper's final objective is to link the explored findings of challenges, trends and innovations in the South African education system to the theme of this book focusing on the different worlds common education challenges. Furthermore, the findings emphasised the need for innovation and transformation toward a technology-enhanced education environment, especially in the Fifth Industrial Revolution milieu. In addition, this paper presented noteworthy recommendations for educational stakeholders and future research. [For the complete Volume 22 proceedings, see ED656158.]

While research on the impact of a Eurocentric curriculum has often focused on marginalized populations in developing nations, it is paramount that scholars also examine the impact of this curriculum on students in the Global North. To this end, this paper begins by first defining and then critiquing what is often referred to as the "Eurocentric curriculum", and how standard Eurocentric content, such as Eurocentric mathematics and its pedagogical practices may alienate learners from their families, societies, and cultures. It will then suggest an alternative approach, "Ethno-mathematics" introduced by D'Ambrosio (1985), and will apply this concept to educational outcomes in both South Africa and the USA. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of how these cultural imbalances within a school's curriculum, if not corrected, may negatively impact the academic success of all students, particularly the marginalized. [For the complete Volume 22 proceedings, see ED656158.]

Ensuring the safety of learners is paramount in schools, particularly in workshops where hands-on learning takes place. Mechanical Technology teachers bear the responsibility for ensuring learners safe participation in activities, guided by specific safety management elements that dictate their duty of care and legal obligations. This paper presents findings from a comprehensive investigation conducted in 220 technical schools across South Africa, offering Mechanical Technology as a subject. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods, the investigation aimed to assess the frequency, severity, and management of accidents and injuries occurring in these workshops, while also examining the underlying reasons for such incidents. Results indicated that a significant number of accidents were attributed to unsafe behavior, including failure to wear or correctly use personal protective equipment. Furthermore, the study revealed a notable lack of awareness among participating teachers regarding injury reporting procedures and record-keeping practices. In response to these findings, it is recommended that Mechanical Technology teachers enhance their understanding of their legal obligations and responsibilities concerning learner safety. This entails strict adherence to safety policies and regulations to ensure a secure environment for all learners involved in workshop activities. Moreover, school governing bodies are urged to fulfill their legal mandate by developing and implementing effective safety policies for workshop environments. Such policies serve as crucial tools in reducing and preventing injuries, thereby mitigating legal liabilities for the department, teachers, and schools alike. [For the complete Volume 22 proceedings, see ED656158.]

The purpose of this paper is to emphasise the value of inducting and mentoring new practitioners in Early Childhood Education centres. Early Childhood Education centres are usually located in meaningful buildings. Centres care for more children than the family can provide for. They are usually divided into groups or classrooms of similarly aged children. Child care centres typically have many practitioners who are overseen by a centre manager or a director. Induction and mentoring are components of professional development aimed at enhancing the educational support system for all ECEC practitioners, particularly those who have recently been hired. Because centre managers are responsible for the growth and performance of their children, they should equip practitioners with support measures to help them improve child development and performance. Because most mothers work full-time, usually out of financial necessity, they require regular child care. For these mothers the question is not whether to use day-care, but how to choose among the available options in a way that is best for the child. Quality child care is more beneficial to children than staying at home. As a result, the purpose of this study is to look at conceptual frameworks as well as new approaches of educating and supporting practitioners to facilitate ECE learning excellence. More experienced personnel (mentors) should provide induction and mentorship, guidance, advice, and information to practitioners for career growth and enhanced performance. Findings reveal that induction and mentorship are important to pass along information, skills, and competence to practitioners who may not have had official training in these areas. Based on the appropriateness or inadequacy of the design of practitioner induction and mentoring programs, more study on the influence of induction on performance and practitioner turnover may be conducted (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011). Transformation and practitioner retention should be the goals of induction and mentorship. [For the complete Volume 22 proceedings, see ED656158.]

The comparative research paper explores the use and risks of social media in South African, USA and European schools. It discusses the potential challenges that schools, educators and learners may face such as cyberbullying, sexting, identity theft, fraud, catphishing, cybercrimes, excessive online presence, and addiction to social media. The paper reports on the findings of a phenomenological study and purposive survey among school principals and educators in South African schools. The paper highlights the advantages of applying social media in the classroom, and provides recommendations for schools, educators, parents and principals to manage the use of social media in the education environment. [For the complete Volume 21 proceedings, see ED629259.]

Struggles for educational equity in the United States (US) and South Africa (SA), particularly with regard to race, class, and ethnicity, remain significant and have become even more critical during and following the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns. Many scholars have focused on the daily struggles of school-aged children, indicating that millions in each nation are homeless, food insecure, and without health care. Moreover, schools often serve critical social reproduction functions in addition to their primary role of advancing learning by providing feeding schemes, computers and internet connectivity, and, in many cases, essential childcare for workers. Since 2020, the pandemic and lockdowns negatively impacted the education delivery system in both countries by enhancing the socio-economic and digital divides. Both countries struggled to provide equitable access to quality education for all children, regardless of their socio-economic status (SES) or geographic location. Through a comparative lens, we analyze attempts by the US and SA to address racial and economic divides over the past decades, and particularly during the pandemic and its disruptions, to better understand the mechanisms education systems used to address stakeholder inequalities. After a brief overview of the historical paths to greater social and economic equality made by both nations the paper explores the significant roles that race, ethnicity, and SES continue to play in determining access to quality education, especially during times of disruptions such as the recent pandemic. It also asks if the economic divide has become the more powerful and consistent factor determining access to well-resourced schools. The paper concludes by asking if patterns of historical racial and ethnic inequalities are now being replaced by an even greater economic divide that continues to provide patterns of unequitable education for children based on their race, ethnicity, SES, and access to supportive resources. [For the complete Volume 21 proceedings, see ED629259.]

This paper investigates the transition planning for youth with disabilities living in foster care. Statutory regulations in South Africa contend that foster care lapses when young people reach the age of 18. It is however not certain how many of them are ready to navigate into an adult and independent lifestyle. This paper is concerned with the question on: "How is the transition for youth with disabilities facilitated towards adulthood?" Two foster homes catering for orphans, abused and children with disabilities were purposefully selected. Semi structured interviews were conducted with six caregivers. Findings revealed that there was no planning in place for these youth who are about to exit the foster care. Furthermore, these youths are not even aware that they will have to live independently after the age of 18 years. In conclusion, this paper suggests collaboration among the multi stakeholders, policymakers, and practitioners at all levels to best prepare youth with disabilities aging out of foster care for life beyond care and what lies ahead of them. A supportive environment can provide the tools and resources that youth with disabilities need as they prepare for their transition 'journey' and to make a smooth landing at their destination of choice. [For the complete Volume 21 proceedings, see ED629259.]

This paper presents the use of the time-on-task analysis (TOTA) diagnostic model as an instrument to improve the efficient management of allocated academic time in schools and focuses on the descriptive analytics produced by the TOTA model. The model aims to analyse how time is spent during the school day to enable school leaders, managers, and teachers to identify opportunities for improving teaching and learning 'uptime' in their schools and classrooms. The theoretical underpinning of the TOTA model is overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), a powerful analytical productivity metric used widely in manufacturing, and thus provides a novel perspective on how time is spent in the school day. The descriptive analytics are based on a data set of 450 observations taken during a time-series classroom observation study in the intermediate-senior phase of a primary school. It is argued that the TOTA model can be a valuable tool for school managers and teachers to improve teaching and learning productivity through the efficient utilisation of allocated academic time. The time-on-task analysis presented in this paper further underscores the importance of teachers' classroom management competencies and has the potential to be a valuable tool to enhance the instructional and transformational leadership practices of school principals. [For the complete Volume 21 proceedings, see ED629259.]

The notion that educators are committed to effective facilitation of racial integration in secondary schools has become the keystone in developing a socially just schooling system in South Africa. This paper sets out to determine the role educators play in the transformation of schools towards racial integration, as well as their nature and perception in facilitating racial integration in the truest sense. Findings emanating from this research indicate that the striking down of the policies and educational system of the Apartheid regime has propelled educators from segregated backgrounds into teaching learners from different racially diverse backgrounds. Similarly, most learners for the first time are being taught by racially diverse educators. A qualitative framework is used to investigate firsthand experiences of managing racial integration in relation to educators and school management, and their role in determining successful racial integration in secondary schools in South Africa. The purpose of this paper is to prepare educators with the accumulative knowledge, understanding and tenets of the Critical Race Theory (CRT) on how to create opportunities for decolonising classroom content and practice as well as addressing the weaknesses in previous approaches to racially integrate learners in desegregated schools. [For the complete Volume 20 proceedings, see ED622631.]

This paper aims to demonstrate how a South African secondary school responded to the negative impact of COVID-19 and still ensures quality education. This paper's final objective is to link this experience to the theme of this book focusing on the next epoch of education. The paper commences with an orientation and autobiographical reflection on the case study-school (cs-school). The findings revealed how this school adopted and established an online digital education solution to ensure the continuation of effective teaching and learning amid, as well as after the pandemic. However, the findings also indicate challenges that this school experienced. [For the complete Volume 20 proceedings, see ED622631.]

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were developed by the United Nations in 2015 to encompass universal respect for equality and non-discrimination regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, and cultural diversity. Since 2000, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) have aligned with SDG 4.3 by developing higher education institutions (HEIs) which aims to "By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university". This was intended to create equal opportunities and permit full realisation and prosperity of human rights and human dignity. This paper explores the effectiveness of managing racial integration in BRICS HEIs and illustrates remarkable progress in research and policy enactment. Particular attention is devoted to the period from the mid-2000s when evidence around the globe exposed the presence of many forms of violence, which inhibit management of effective racial integration. Based on case studies from selected BRICS countries (South Africa, Russia, and Brazil), this paper explores how the management of racial integration is being addressed within these contexts. [For the complete Volume 20 proceedings, see ED622631.]

South Africa must embark upon the third epoch of education policy after the failures of the first two epochs: the 1953-1994 ("apartheid") era and the 1994-2021 era (the dawn of democracy and the dismantling of apartheid structures). There were not enough education opportunities to guide all the children of the country to maturity and acceptance of their civilian responsibilities. This paper examines the reasons why the education policies of the first two epochs failed and contributed to a poor, unequal and ineffective school education system. The paper also explores the challenges that the education system needs to confront to create a new education system that will support the attainment of the hitherto unfulfilled expectations and dreams that its citizens carried into the democratic era. The education policy of the third epoch must address critical issues to chart the way to an effective education system. There is a need to reorganize (reset) the education system in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. A streamlined curriculum needs to focus on the essential skills and knowledge the country needs. The system can no longer ignore the need for the adequate provision of vocational and technical education to alleviate the sharply rising unemployment rate of young people and support the growth of the economy. Quality education policy must function despite the lack of funds for the provision of appropriate and functional infrastructure and competent human resources. [For the complete Volume 20 proceedings, see ED622631.]

Having reviewed several pieces of strategy documents, policy papers, and literature, we concluded that there is no uniform definition of either institutional autonomy or academic freedom (AF). Many different points of view determine the interpretation of these terms. Furthermore, the policymakers (e.g., governments, legislators) can ignore the theories connecting to autonomy and AF and separate from them the legislation-level realization. This paper aims to overview different interpretations of autonomy and AF, highlighting the most important standpoints and presenting how autonomy and AF are realized in the national legislation. Considering the limited length of this paper, we focus on our respective countries, namely Hungary and South Africa. Our previous findings show that in many aspects, our countries face similar challenges despite the different historical antecedents. In previous research we compared the factors, which can influence research activities, however, we did not investigate the legislative framework. To that end, in this paper, we go further and look specifically at legal frameworks within our respective countries. Our results illustrate that without a homogenous content, the State may use the concepts of autonomy and AF in its legislation as it sees fit. This in turn may lead to autonomy and AF or some of their components, while being formally safeguarded, they may lose the guarantee character that corresponds to their actual content. [For the complete Volume 20 proceedings, see ED622631.]

The paper emanates from the inaugural lecture that I presented on the 22nd of November 2022 at the University of South Africa. It is well known that "The Zondo Commission" revealed numerous crises with principled leadership poisoning organisations in South Africa. The world is becoming more conscious of ethics and ethical leadership because of the numerous scandals that have occurred in a variety of sectors, such as state-owned corporations and government institutions owing to unethical conduct by those organisations' leaders. It would be wrong to think that because corrupt behaviour had been exposed, the golden era of frauds had ended and that organisations had reached a turning point due to democracy and open management. If fraudulent actions continue to deplete organisations of resources and offer difficulties for managers and leaders, I contend, principled leadership is becoming toxic in organisations. These leaders need to be visionary. They must be able to communicate with members of their team. When leaders and their teams communicate, trust and confidence are increased. They should inform team members of their decisions rather than forcing decisions upon them. Leaders should consider all relevant factors before making judgments. They ought to enforce their influence by persuasion rather than by pressure. They must be creative in coming up with new solutions to challenges, taking chances to support organisations in minimising toxic inclinations. [For the complete Volume 21 proceedings, see ED629259.]

South Africa requires an educated population to sustain her economic development. Higher education institutions are under pressure to produce graduates with skills and competencies to fulfil such an aspiration. Distance education is an essential avenue through which more South Africans can have the much-needed education without necessarily displacing themselves. Distance education is facilitated and regulated by the White Paper on e-Education which is a generic policy document to serve the needs of the system-wide use of ICT integration at all levels of education. It falls short of conceptualising the implications of ICT in distance education particularly the North-West University's (NWU) open distance learning (ODL) multi-mode of education content delivery. The conceptualisation shortfall facilitates a Western-oriented understanding of knowledge while ODL students' traditional understanding of their roles and responsibilities is ignored. The concepts of roles and responsibilities are critically important for the effective functioning of ODL, and they are essential to the attainment of students' education aspirations. At the NWU, approximately seventy per cent of ODL students are Africans whose worldviews do not harmonise with the vision of universities. The research question which underpinned this study was "What are the experiences of the roles and responsibilities of open distance students at a higher education institution?" This study followed an interpretivist research paradigm, which would draw on a qualitative research approach. A systematic literature review was utilised and subsequently the views of ODL students were explored. Purposive sampling was employed to select ODL students as research participants for focus-group interviews. The collected data were analysed using the computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (a CAQDAS), ATLAS tiTM. Due attention was given to ethical considerations throughout the study. The findings revealed that ODL students have several ways in which they understand their roles and responsibilities which were shaped by their African worldview, Africanisation. The findings that emerged from the analyses of roles and responsibilities were task orientation; time management; personal growth; social roles; financial responsibilities; personal responsibilities; family responsibilities; and social responsibilities. [For the complete Volume 21 proceedings, see ED629259.]

This paper reports on a section of the findings of a study of which the purpose, among others, was to investigate and analyse the application of professional discretion by public school principals. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach from within a pragmatist research paradigm. Data was collected by means of quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques, namely survey questionnaires followed by semi-structured interviews within the Gauteng province. The findings suggest that there are multiple scenarios in which principals are required to apply professional discretion. Factors that influence principals' professional discretion were also identified. [For the complete Volume 21 proceedings, see ED629259.]

The paper examines the role educators and members of school management teams (SMTs) play in transforming schools towards integrative learning environments. Data was collected through a survey and individual interviews that were administered to educators and members of SMTs (N = 88) in four multiracial schools. The survey included open-ended questions that focused on what was happening in schools, in racially diverse classrooms, and the interaction between racially diverse groups. SMTs and SGBs are seen as always advancing strategies that lead to racial integration at school. The results showed that racial integration was not evident in these schools but rather there was a heightened racial conflict and racial incidences were prevalent in former White, Indian and Coloured schools. [For the complete Volume 21 proceedings, see ED629259.]

As evident in scholarly literature, universities worldwide embrace Sustainable Development Goals initiated by United Nations. Yet, regardless institutions' commitment, many countries, especially developing ones, struggle to effectively implement sustainability-oriented principles and practices in higher education. To that end, this paper, based on the qualitative document analysis, brings attention to main challenges associated with the implementation of sustainability-orientated principles and practices in seven South African universities. The findings show that several challenges exist due to the holistic nature of sustainable development (SD) as it is a concept that not only connects different areas of knowledge but also articulates knowledge from distinctive disciplines. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the strategy with the most potential of enhancing the implementation of sustainability-orientated principles and practices and ensuring longevity and improvement require support from top management of higher education institutions (HEIs). In addition, in order to strengthen SD, HEIs need to adapt a holistic approach and implement sustainability principles, knowledge, and practices within all academic activities. In alignment with the theme of the conference, this study provides reflections and recommendations towards the improvement of education considering the experiences and lessons learnt in a specific context. [For the complete Volume 21 proceedings, see ED629259.]

This empirical paper reports on perceptions held by early childhood practitioners about leadership in a multicultural environment. The paper problematises leadership in early childhood development (ECD) centres dealing with diverse ethnic children from the Black South African communities. Among others, it discusses the attributes required for leading a multicultural ECD environment, to contribute to ECD centre effectiveness. Managing a multicultural community is complex, however experienced leaders appreciate the validity of differences and commit to managing a multicultural environment. This empirical paper employed qualitative semi-structured approach to interview managers and practitioners on perceptions held about ECD leadership in multicultural centres. The increasing demands and expectations on ECD centre leaders having learners from diverse cultures, languages and backgrounds, reveal preparation and support challenges. Achievement of positive perceptions may require training, support and resources, because their absence may in fact lead to heightened tensions and prejudices about leaders by practitioners. Recommendations are that ECD centre managers be supported by government to develop cultural pluralism, inter group harmony, and the ability to think, work, and live within a multicultural context. [For the complete Volume 19 proceedings, see ED613922.]

Access to quality education for all children is a common mantra for countless national and world organizations, such as the UN and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper examines the struggle within two nations who continue to move beyond the impact of racial segregation in the United States (US) and "apartheid" in South Africa (SA) to achieve equitable access to quality education for all children, regardless of race, ethnicity, language, or socio-economic status (SES). The paper begins with an overview of the historical paths both nations followed in their slow evolution away from harsh segregation and "apartheid" governance designed to provide unequal educational opportunities for its youth. Beyond these historical sketches is a brief review of theoretical perspectives to help explain how unequal systems of education are maintained and how they can be transformed into agents of positive social change. This is followed by an examination of factors in both the US and SA that are capable of sustaining unequitable access to quality education while providing disproportional levels of negativity such as suspensions or dropping out (or being "pushed out") of school based on a child's race, gender, ethnicity or SES. The paper concludes by asking (at least in the US case), whether the "way forward" may be guided by examples of the past, such as the quality of education provided to Black children in the era of legally segregated Black schools in America's South. [For the complete Volume 19 proceedings, see ED613922.]

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between the percentage of expenditure on public education of a country and the effect that each percentage mark has on the economic growth, and therefore Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of a country. The goal of this paper is to explore how investment in education impacts the economic growth of a country through the production of more skilled workers in the workforce. This paper aims to draw a comparison between the BRICS countries, and a representative number of the countries in the European Union to compare the investment, process and product delivered through these groupings. By looking at the production function from a Marxist perspective it is inevitable to notice that the error coefficient is significantly higher within the BRICS countries than in the European Union, which is reflected in the rate of economic growth. This paper would be of interest to economists, education policy makers, researchers, and scholars.

Inequality and inequity of outcomes persist in South African higher education despite policies to redress the effects of apartheid, which segregated black people from accessing good quality education. Policy in higher education uses the concept 'historically disadvantaged' in its interventions aimed to address inequality but the desired outcomes have not been achieved as higher education institutions particularly universities seem to struggle to create conducive environments for all students to participate successfully. Lack of clarity on what needs to be addressed and prioritised could be blamed for the ineffective interventions. Using the capability approach as advanced by Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum, the paper identifies the most significant capabilities for student disadvantage, which universities should focus on in their interventions. This paper draws from semi-structured qualitative interviews from 26 diverse students from one South African university to argue that when students lack the financial income, affiliation and personal tenacity and hard work capabilities, their lives were affected the most. To that end, it is recommended that higher education institutions should prioritise to address these capabilities to ensure equal access, participation and success for all students.

The purpose of the paper is to highlight ways in which mathematics educators are supported through school inspection. The aim of this paper is to establish whether mathematics educators are adequately supported through school inspection to address mathematics problems within South African classes. For this goal to be achieved, governments have tasked district officials, hereafter known as school inspectors to ensure and guarantee the delivery of quality education to learners. Despite the belief that school inspection may have a positive impact on the teaching of mathematics, little is known about how school inspectors support mathematics educators. A critical factor in capacitating mathematics educators is to ensure that they acquire effective teaching skills to address learners' mathematics problems. The study employs a qualitative conceptual approach using literature that includes books, articles and chapters written on mathematics, locally and internationally. Due to the limited discourse on how school inspectors capacitate and supervise educators in South Africa, the text serves as a significant piece in understanding how school inspection is implemented for developing mathematics educators in South Africa. The argument posed is whether school inspectors can succeed in adequately fulfilling this task. Findings reveal that supporting mathematics educators provides opportunities that make a real and lasting difference in learners' lives. Recommendations are that the government and educational stakeholders should ensure that school inspection is regulated to ensure mathematics educators are capacitated to address difficulties in mathematics learning.

As scholars we navigate in the fast changing and demanding research environment. The pressure to produce tangible outputs, secure funding, and undertake international collaborations has high implications on individual researchers' work and well-being. The issues brought forefront in scholarly literature showcase the impact of research pressures on other academic duties such as teaching, scholarly service and community engagement. The attention is also drawn to the ways in which the above mentioned pressures influence choices researchers make regarding their research agenda. In this reflective paper we take the academic discourse a step further to explore how demands of research productivity intertwine with institutional and individual autonomy in our respective countries, Hungary and South Africa. Our conceptual framework is informed by commonly recognized levels of autonomy in HEIs, which relate to research activities. The three levels include: individual researcher, collaborative research teams and the institution at large. Considering the complexity of the topic and length restriction for this paper, we narrow our focus to how institutional and individual researcher's autonomy converge with two research productivity activities, namely dependence on funding and selection of outlets for research outputs.

This conceptual paper draws on the understanding and application of institutional performance management system (IPMS) by managers in a higher education institution's department. Managers in HEIs [higher education institutions] are tasked to develop and support staff at all job levels and are accountable for their performance. The implementation of the IPMS in higher education institutions could enhance the growth and development of the department and its staff. The paper highlights practices of IPMS as well as identifies the successes and challenges in understanding and applying IPMS within HEIs, to provide a consolidated practical advice for universities in South Africa. Staff development and support are central to ensuring that commitments made, are seriously translated into relevant actions in the department. Such actions by the institution lay a strong foundation for improved performance. The purpose of the paper is to unpack and contextualise the understanding and application of institutional performance management system (IPMS) of staff, by recognising its merits depending on the context and circumstances where it is applied. This qualitative paper analysed literature studies that include books and articles written on performance management systems in higher education, to establish how performance data is used to improve institutional staff performance. Findings reveal that HEIs' performance criteria in IPMS, do not always serve to monitor and evaluate the department's progress on planned goals, objectives, and initiatives. The paper, therefore, serves as a foundational piece that highlights gaps in higher education institution managers' understanding and application of IPMS, for supporting and improving staff performance.

An increase in research productivity is of vital importance in the development of countries worldwide. However, when research outputs are measured, many higher education faculties neither meet the expectations regarding quality nor quantity despite the increasing drive towards publications. This paper examines how academic managers can reform a prevailing weak or average research culture. Research and innovation managers such as deans, research directors and research professors may benefit from implementing the principles of the innovation value chain to transform a specific research culture characterised by low morale and a lack of outputs. Based on the author's experience and relevant scholarly literature, it is argued in this paper that a general passive or negative attitude amongst faculty members who are expected to produce research outputs, can be converted to a vibrant environment characterised by positive attitudes and increased research productivity.

This paper explores academic promotion practices in higher education institutions. Promotion of faculty members of universities is one of the major mechanisms in maintaining and improving the quality and efficiency of higher education and research activities in the country. Appointment processes are therefore critical to institutional development; therefore, the study argues for the identification of successful practices by exploring the enablers and disablers within the institutional promotion process in South Africa. This qualitative conceptual paper used literature, not limited to books, articles and chapters written on higher education institutions' promotion practices. There is, however, limited research on institutional promotion practices for academic employees within the South African higher education institutions. The study argues for the identification of successful practices to ensure fair and equitable institutional promotion practices by exploring the enablers and disablers within the institutional promotion process in the South African higher education. The paper serves as a foundational piece in understanding that appointment practices can be regulated to ensure fairness and equity. The appointment practices highlight the importance of shifting academic staff profiles in ways that are more representative of a diverse democracy. The inclusion of South Africa demonstrates a gap that exists in the academic promotions within higher education institutions. Findings reveal power-play and micro-politicking within promotion practices in HEIs. The paper serves as a foundational piece in understanding the regulation of fairness and equity in academic appointment practices.

This research aimed to investigate the experiences of students with learning disabilities (LD) at two universities in Sub-Sahara Africa. While universities are increasingly addressing the needs of students with sensory and physical disabilities, there is less emphasis on LD which does not present physically, thus often referred to as invisible or hidden disabilities. The research was, conducted as qualitative case studies, guided by Vygotsky's social cultural theory (SCT). A basic qualitative research methodology, embedded in an interpretive paradigm was used. Data was collected through an online background survey and semi-structured interviews. Thematic qualitative content analysis was used to analyse collected data systematically. From a social justice perspective, the major findings suggest that there are several factors that impede on equal education for students with LD at university. The research outcomes revealed that the hidden nature of LD becomes apparent as participants must self-declare their needs. They further experienced a lack of acknowledgement and support from lecturers. Most participants revert to valuing the support of family and friends more than that of lecturers. While both universities have policies and structures of support for students with LD, it is concluded that university lecturers need to adopt an inclusive pedagogical stance by acknowledging the factors that affect the learning of students with LD. Recommendations from the findings include the need for professional development for lecturers and increased awareness of learning support services on campus. It is further concluded that university lecturers need to be reflective of their pedagogical practices to transform higher education learning spaces in pursuit of authentic inclusion. [For the complete Volume 22 proceedings, see ED656158.]

The preponderance of literature associated with school violence illuminates the severity of its manifestation in schools both nationally and internationally. The impact of school violence on students' physical and emotional well-being cannot be understated as this is commensurate with student academic achievement. The South African Government's National Development Plan 2030 identifies the improvement of the quality of public services as critical to achieving transformation. It is germane to then consider how an education system entrenched in a long-standing history of violence can be adopted in an agenda of transformation. In his 2023 State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa stated: "Schools must be safe and allow for effective learning and teaching". Behind this pronouncement, is a silent revolution unfolding. South African schools, now nearly three decades into democracy, are focusing on collaborative leadership to contribute meaningfully to the redress of violence in school environments and move toward trauma-informed practices. A study comprising 121 schools in South Africa reveals that school management teams are employing collaborative leadership to address such behaviours. Underpinned by the Collaborative Leadership Theory, this mixed methods research design investigates how collaborative leadership is employed by educational practitioners to address school violence in 21st century classrooms. The results of this study have the potential to offer an approach towards addressing school violence in South African schools, despite the complexities of an education system stemming from a violent past which remains evident in South African classrooms today. [For the complete Volume 22 proceedings, see ED656158.]

The purpose of this study was to explore career opportunities for diverse women in South Africa with special reference to aviation. Little has been done on this focus due to its complexities and that after 20 years of South African democracy; female skill shortage in the aviation industry is still not addressed. The researcher utilized a qualitative approach. Mason (2002) argues that a qualitative approach is grounded in philosophy and is largely concerned about how the social world is interpreted and understood. Bronfenbrenner's (1977) ecological system theory is used in this study as a relevant theoretical framework. This study seeks to understand career opportunities for diverse women in South Africa with special reference to aviation. The study also emphasizes the role of the subject Life Orientation in making people aware of career opportunities. Findings from this study showed that the relative lack of diverse women in the South African aviation sector is not an excuse because the South African government has given us opportunities to explore this field. On this note, it is recommended that more career awareness and bursaries be made available to the ideal candidates and that aviation industries should make piloting more attractive to women. [For the complete Volume 22 proceedings, see ED656158.]

This paper explores how early childhood (EC) leaders in South Africa support the EC centres in the townships of Gauteng Province. The term township refers to underdeveloped and racially segregated urban areas reserved for black communities, specifically Coloured, Africans and Indians. The townships are usually built outside the cities and towns. The term (township) also has a discrete legal implication in South Africa's system of land title, which carries no tribal connotations. Gauteng Province is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It is the economic hub of the country and consists of people from diverse cultural backgrounds. The purpose of this paper is to understand the support practices by EC leaders through providing insight into the subjective experiences of practitioners. In this paper, support means empowering practitioners. This paper followed the qualitative approach in exploring how EC leaders support practitioners in a diverse cultural milieu. The paradigm used is interpretive because the author interpreted the support mechanisms offered. Data was collected through literature review. The paper contends that knowledge and understanding of diverse cultures is significance in giving support to culturally diverse EC centres. The expectation is that EC leaders should have the skill and ability to support practitioners in any given context. Findings reveal that good support can happen when there is collaboration between principals, practitioners and communities. [For the complete Volume 17 proceedings, see ED596826.]

Located within constructivist paradigm, this is a qualitative study that used a case study design. Qualitative data collection methods -- interviews, observations and document analysis -- were employed for this study. The sample comprised of 43 teachers and principals from four case study schools. This paper focuses on the experiences of primary school teachers regarding implementation of inclusive education. The findings from the study suggest that despite various attempts aimed at successful implementation of inclusive education in schools; not much has been achieved in this regard. The findings also suggest that there were problems emanating from the lack of sufficient training on the implementation of IE including the implementation of the SIAS (screen, identify, and support) Policy which requires teachers to screen, identify, and support learners. However, teachers were only trained to do baseline assessment and were not fully trained on SIAS. The paper recommends that there is need for teachers to get continuous training and support on the implementation of IE particularly on aspects of SIAS. Qualified educational psychologist should be utilised for the crucial role of implementing the SIAS Policy. [For the complete Volume 17 proceedings, see ED596826.]

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to highlight the significance of pedagogical leadership (PL) in improving the quality of practice in early childhood development (ECD) centres. ECD in South Africa is defined as the procedures by means of which children from birth to 9 years grow and flourish emotionally, morally, socially, physically and spiritually (DoE, 2001, p. 7). The paper further argues how professional training and development can equip ECD leaders and teachers with the necessary skills for pedagogical leadership. Currently, in South Africa the majority of ECD leaders, especially those in the previously marginalised ECD communities, have assumed their positions without any professional training. Most ECD leaders are owners who react to the government's call to establish ECD centres in order to make ECD services accessible to all South African children. Leadership in ECD is a less discussed and poorly researched subject in South Africa. Pedagogical leadership in ECD is defined and its status in South Africa is examined in this paper and suggestions are made concerning how it may be transformed and developed. [For the complete Volume 17 proceedings, see ED596826.]

This paper explicates how statutes and case law (court cases) can be used as sources for discourse analysis when researching South African education reform through a complexity theory lens. Firstly, the law-making process is built on discourses at different levels. Secondly, discourses are manifested in case law because in order to resolve disputes arguments are presented on which the court is then required to rule. Discourse analysis explores how meaning, identities, activities and relationships are negotiated and constructed and these sources of discourse are useful when the focus is on the study of actions and interactions within the education system. [For the complete Volume 20 proceedings, see ED622631.]

Principals are confronted with an exceptional degree of difficult decisions. One of the key challenges that school principals are facing in many parts of the world today is how to maintain a balance between professional discretion and accountability with the legislative and policy framework in which they must perform their duties. Every judgement call made by a principal will inevitably be questioned. However, without discretionary powers it would be impossible to be a principal. This paper therefore explores the application of professional discretion by school principals by focusing on different components of professional discretion, principals' need for autonomy, discretionary power of principals, principles governing the application of professional discretion, and the factors that influence or limit discretion. [For the complete Volume 20 proceedings, see ED622631.]

The purpose of this qualitative paper is to explore Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) centre managers' understanding of instructional leadership. Leadership skills are sometimes developed on the job. However, instructional leadership requires vision, a sound managerial style, relevant knowledge, skills, organisational acumen, and self-development. While these skills fall under management rather than leadership, Early Childhood Care and Education centre leaders in rural areas must still ensure that their centres function smoothly. Due to the minimal research conducted on the Early Childhood Care and Education centre managers' understanding of instructional leadership of rural ECCE centres in South Africa, the study aims to highlight the challenges, knowledge, practices and support provided to ensuring instructional leadership is achieved in the centres. A qualitative research approach was conducted in the Early Childhood Care and Education centres in the Black settlement areas of the Gauteng Province. Five centre managers were purposively selected from five rural community settings and interviewed using face-to-face semi-structured interviews to generate data. Data were thematically analysed to get themes and subthemes. Findings reveal that Early Childhood Care and Education centre managers' understanding of instructional leadership was constrained by uneven funding, lack of support and training in ECCE centre management. The conclusion is that most managers rely on untrained, poorly remunerated practitioners for the daily operations in the centre. For Early Childhood Care and Education centres to be well managed for sustainable development, well-trained, informed, visionary, experienced, and critical-thinking leaders and practitioners are needed. The study may be helpful to centre managers, policy-makers and other stakeholders. [For the complete Volume 20 proceedings, see ED622631.]

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to highlight challenges educators face in the practice of in loco parentis in South African public schools. Responsibilities of school educators in children's education are increased, while those of social institutions like the home, church and community are reduced. This responsibility known as the 'in loco parentis' principle, tasks educators to act in the place of a parent by carrying out legal responsibilities and functions in line with the Fundamental Rights of children in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (CRSA) of 1996. Educators ought to show care and supervision to learners in the same way a reasonable and prudent parent would; taking responsibility for the emotional, psychological and physical well-being of the learners to ensure there is no foreseeable risk of injury to the child. This parent-teacher relationship is unique and requires educators to exercise care that ensures protection of learners from harm and injury so that they are not rendered negligent while performing their tasks. Despite these laws put in place to protect both learners and educators, physical and psychological violence is a threat. This paper thus focuses on how educators' practice of in loco parentis ensures protection, security, safety and wellbeing of learners in South African public schools. Findings, reveal that the whole system of parent-teacher co-operation should be reorganized to balance the tasks of the school community. The study is significant for the realistic consideration of educators' in loco parentis practice amidst their teaching and administrative tasks. [For the complete Volume 16 proceedings, see ED586117.]

The transition from apartheid to democracy necessitated radical transformation within the South African political, socio-economic and education landscape. Black and coloured students were only fit for unskilled or semi-skilled occupations resulting in under-qualified and poorly trained professionals. Since the inception of democracy, there was a need to respond to the needs of a modern democratic South African society. The need for economic transformation emerged from the inheritance of an economy built on exclusion due to racial division and inequalities. There was a need for curriculum and economic intervention to include fundamental principles of citizenship education to promote human rights, democracy and active citizenry. This paper discusses the manner in which active citizenship education can bring about economic transformation in a modern developing democracy in South Africa. Through a conceptual framework, the paper also demonstrates the evolution of citizenship with the notion of critical emancipation through active citizenship education. [For the complete Volume 16 proceedings, see ED586117.]

Since the 1960s and before the dramatic announcement of the release of Nelson Mandela on 2 February 1990 (signalling the end of apartheid and the crossing of the proverbial Rubicon (Stone, 2014, p. 3)), the international community assisted the African National Congress (ANC) in its struggle against apartheid and put crucial pressure on the state through economic and other sanctions (Marx, 1992, p. 175). There was, however, abundant economic and other support for the ANC, the liberation organisation widely regarded as the legitimate voice of South Africa's people (Marx, 1992, p. 186). The support was intended to help the ANC to take over and transform all aspects of the government of South Africa and gave the ANC people hope that they could escape the oppression of "apartheid." When the dismantling of the apartheid system began, international concern about South Africa started disappearing (Marx, 1992, p. 175). The need for intervention was "now driven by more mixed and uncertain motivations" Marx (1992, p. 175) like development needs and complicated access to financial and other assistance. Despite all the aid, the South African school education system has been performing poorly since the advent of democracy (comparable to the gaining of independence of other African countries). Hope springing from international aid was replaced by a feeling of disenchantment. Apartheid has undoubtedly added to the constraints to educational development and advancement but this paper will also explore the possibility that international aid may have contributed to the apparent failure of the system. [For the complete Volume 19 proceedings, see ED613922.]

In times of crisis, people look up to their leaders and expect that they would minimise the impact of the crisis at hand. Leaders in such situations must grasp and address the crisis while maintaining a sense of normality. In this research, we drew on data from a literature search to answer the following question: What can be learnt from studies on teacher wellbeing during the COVID-19 crisis, that can help us to determine the leadership style needed to support teacher wellbeing? A literature search was conducted to create a database of articles that focused on teacher wellbeing during the COVID-19 crisis and school leadership. The following four keywords/phrases were used during the search: crisis management in schools; crisis management during COVID-19 in schools; leadership styles for crisis management; and leadership styles in support of teacher wellbeing during crisis situations. The review included both national and international studies. This paper highlights two leadership best practices for navigating teacher wellbeing challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, namely distributed leadership and compassionate leadership. [For the complete Volume 19 proceedings, see ED613922.]

The issue of school feeding is placed at the top of global agenda currently more than ever before. Challenges imposed by COVID-19 have created an opportunity to broaden and deepen debates focusing around the significance of school feeding programmes internationally. Throughout the duration of the lockdown period, billions of learners worldwide were no longer receiving school meals regularly, thus negatively impacting their health and wellbeing. The aims of this paper were to highlight: challenges that school leaders were faced with, in ensuring that learners were fed during the pandemic and the type of management that would enable them to continue feeding learners even during the crisis. The "new normal" management emerged as three modalities that were introduced by the Department of Basic Education and were implemented to ensure continuity of school feeding. The adaptive and situational leadership approach seemed to be more suitable, as the traditional way of managing was no longer adequate in meeting the demands of feeding learners in a crisis situation. [For the complete Volume 19 proceedings, see ED613922.]

Higher education institutions play an active role in addressing and responding to twenty-first century societal trends. The two main factors, which have transformed the way we live and work are globalization and technological advancements. Consequently, global competence became imperative in twenty-first century. As evident from scholarly literature, global competency is the currency in today's world, which includes the capacity to view life from different perspectives, to value diversity, to engage in multicultural interactions and to have skills to respectfully navigate in the complex inter-connected world. Higher education has an important role to play in nurturing globally competent citizens with a critical worldview and the above-mentioned abilities. Considering the importance of this topic and the scarcity of literature grounded in South African context, the scope of this paper is to explore the development of globally competent citizens in selected South African higher education institutions. Employing document analysis method, this qualitative project investigated to what extent higher education institutions positioned themselves to address twenty-first century societal trends. Special attention was paid to competencies of globally competent citizens, educators' role in developing global competence and HEIs response to twenty-first century trends. Based on the findings, recommendations are provided on how higher education institutions may maximize development of globally competent citizens. [For the complete Volume 19 proceedings, see ED613922.]

Institutions of higher education in South Africa have seen a shift in the student demographic of student population, and from contact teaching approaches to distance and online approaches to instruction. This has posed challenges as students find themselves without adequate support in online environments to successfully fulfil their studies. There are few studies that focus on the challenges lecturers experience in an open distance e-learning (ODeL) setting. This paper seeks to narrow that gap by exploring the challenges experienced by lecturers in an ODeL institution, which offers massified higher education for part-time students. The study is aimed to determine and explain how lecturers could use their concerted skills to benefit students. The research is embedded in Moore's transactional distance theory and adopted Vygotsky's social constructivist approach. In terms of methodology, a qualitative research approach with a phenomenological design was used. Data were collected through open-ended semi-structured interviews from participants of the College of Education (CEDU) at the University of South Africa (UNISA). Transcription and thematical analyses of data were completed to identify themes. Findings from the study revealed that lecturers in CEDU were not inducted on their core functions hence the shortcomings in delivery of student support services. The study recommends that further research be conducted on how to support and empower lecturers within CEDU to give students leading-edge support. [For the complete Volume 19 proceedings, see ED613922.]

Leading and managing schools across the globe requires accountability for the utilisation of resources entrusted to schools for improving the quality of teaching and learning in schools. Little, however, is known about the school managers' effectiveness in accounting for the schools quality teaching and learning. This paper explored school managers' accountability in leading and managing schools for quality teaching and learning in South Africa. The research question posed is: How effective are school leaders and managers in addressing the tension between management and leadership practices in ensuring quality teaching and learning? Despite most school leaders and managers believing that they do their best to improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning in schools, available literatures on the same, contradict these perceptions. The study therefore concludes that, school leadership and management is not an effective accountability mechanism for ensuring quality teaching and learning in schools in South Africa and recommends a policy shift on school leadership from a control approach to an innovative and collaborative approach. [For the complete Volume 19 proceedings, see ED613922.]

In education systems there is inter-connectedness with multiple sub-systems which interact with each other. This paper argues that complexity theory is well suited as a lens to research education reforms. Key elements of complexity theory that are particularly useful are applied to the South African case. Aspects of complexity theory include: interaction of the elements which constitute an education system; feedback based on these interactions; the connectedness of these elements; the emergence of new properties and behavior based on the interactions and feedback; the contexts of the different elements of the system; and the nonlinear nature of the causes and effects of educational reform. Complexity theory not only enables researchers to research education reforms from a whole system perspective, but also accommodates the dynamic nature of an education system. [For the complete Volume 19 proceedings, see ED613922.]