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This paper presents findings of four Grade 6 teachers' involvement as facilitators of a participatory action research (PAR) project conducted in three South African primary schools. Based on the results of Phase One research which indicated that Grade 6s learn about sexuality, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) from multiple sources, the Phase Two project designers developed a toolkit to help Life Orientation (LO) teachers consult learners on what they know and how they want to be taught. In each school, a curriculum development group comprising the participating teacher, learners, parents and an HIV and Aids specialist worked to enhance the official HIV and Aids curriculum using the information gathered each week by the teacher. This dialogue between the study participants represents the culmination of what we describe as the project's 'cascading participation' research model, a term denoting the multiple levels of participant involvement in the study. Although theories of participation often depict a binary relationship between those with power and those without it, the implementation of this project shows how the official curriculum, cultural norms and low parent involvement can exert pressure at different levels to diminish teachers' ability to facilitate social and educational change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the initial steps in developing and presenting Sport Psychology in a leadership and sport curriculum at Stellenbosch University's (SU) Centre for Human Performance Sciences' (CHPS) Academy for Girls' Leadership and Sport Development. Sport Psychology does not feature within the South African school curriculum specifically, yet the CHPS recognises the importance of exposing girls to the principles and skills of Sport Psychology and has a leadership curriculum for girls participating in sport to this end. This paper reports on a qualitative and exploratory reflective inquiry by the author who presented this theme. What was gained during this process, as well as the associated challenges encountered, suggest possible areas for research as well as changes and adjustments which could be made in similar Sport Psychology curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the conditions necessary for the development of literacy in two languages, that is, biliteracy in Sepedi and English, among Foundation phase learners in a rural primary school in South Africa. It is based on a qualitative study, in the form of an ethnographic case study in which one-on-one interviews with the teachers, lessons observation and classroom print environment observation were used for data collection. One of the key findings is that routinized teacher-centred and a print-impoverished environment do not bode well for biliteracy development. Different strategies and methods with respect to teaching and learning should be pursued for effective teaching and learning. Homework was found to be crucial as a tool to reinforce learning. Homework can only be successfully implemented, if the Conditions at home are conducive. The major contribution of this paper is the 3C's framework which posits that Conditions at home, Community/Culture and Curriculum are important ingredients for effective teaching and learning. The absence of any one of them is a precursor for failure. The paper advocates a learner-centred approach to teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlabelled: Until 1994, physiotherapy education and training were aligned with the expectations of the South African healthcare system. Subsequent to policy shifts since 1994, the professional role of physiotherapists has expanded. In the absence of guiding strategies to support this change, physiotherapy curricula have remained relatively static., Objective: The paper examines the discrepancies between physiotherapy education and training at a South African university post apartheid and the expectations of the healthcare system., Design: Located within critical feminist research framings and employing narrative inquiry as the selected methodology, data were produced through multiple methods to obtain multiple perspectives and orientations., Participants: This multisectorial data production approach involving student physiotherapists, physiotherapy academics and practising physiotherapists included in-depth focus group interviews, individual interviews, life-history biographies and open-ended questionnaires. The data were analysed separately for each group of research participants (physiotherapy students, practitioners and academics), followed by a cross-sector analysis., Results: The analysis illustrated current disciplinary trends and shortcomings of the physiotherapy undergraduate curriculum, whilst highlighting that which is considered valuable and progressive in physiotherapy and health care. The dominant themes that emerged included issues relating to physiotherapy theory and practice, and issues that influenced the construction of relationships in the curriculum., Conclusion: The significance of this study lies in the value of student and practitioner feedback to inform curriculum and professional development in the light of sociopolitical changes and healthcare expectations.

Background: The School of Nursing in which this research was conducted uses a problem based learning approach in clinical nursing courses. Although the skills required for problem solving, and those in nursing care planning, are similar and therefore, support each other in the learning environment, there is limited evidence of the effectiveness of this teaching strategy on problem solving and nursing care planning., Aim: The aim of this study was to implement a change in the clinical nursing course in the third year of the Bachelor of Nursing (BN) programme and determine if this change improved students' problem solving and care planning., Method: A nine-step problem solving process to deal with problem scenarios was introduced. We hoped that consistent use of this systematic process would improve students' problem solving and care planning skills in the classroom and the clinical area. In order to determine change in problem solving and care planning skills we compared (a) the previous third year student performance on semester I and II assessments with those of the study participants and (b) results at the end of semester I with end of semester II within the study cohort. Findings from these analyses are presented in this paper.

Sociologists of education rooted in social realism have for more than a decade argued that knowledge matters in education, there are different kinds of knowledge, not all forms of knowledge are equal and that these differentiations have significant implications for curriculum. While this argument has made an important contribution to both theoretical and policy debate, the implications for curriculum have not been sufficiently addressed. In other words, a theory of differentiated knowledge has not translated into an adequate theory of differentiated curriculum. Drawing on Basil Bernstein’s work on knowledge differentiation and Karl Maton’s Legitimation Code Theory, this paper offers an empirically derived emerging framework for conceptualizing differentiated higher education curricula with a particular interest in occupationally and professionally oriented curricula. The framework illuminates the principles underlying curriculum differentiation, thus enabling a richer conversation about epistemological access and progression. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article offers some self-reflexive comments on Communication and media studies in South Africa. The discipline in South Africa, presents a very exciting and intriguing posture for the simple fact that it allows for diversity- observable in the variety of labels, emphases and curricula. Equally enviable is the currency of some aspects of the programmes offered in the country and the strong theoretical foundation of research publications. Yet some deficiencies observed in a number of the curricula provoke a call for standardization of programmes offered by the various universities. The lack of regulation could be held responsible for some lapses noticeable in the structure of the various programmes. Drawing on observations of South Africa's communication and media education landscape, this article argues that the field seems to be withdrawn and too inward-looking that is evidenced by the lack of interest in the affairs of the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE) and what used to be the predominantly locally oriented content of South African journals. Thus, South African academia is tactically excluded from the leadership which it should provide on the African continent. Some cross-references are made to the situation in Nigeria, being the country where the writer had been involved in communication and media scholarship before moving to South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent technological advances and an escalation of knowledge in dentistry have highlighted the need to revise the current undergraduate dental curriculum at the University of the Witwatersrand. This imperative is reinforced on one hand by manifest problems in content, structure and sequencing of the existing curriculum, and on the other hand by the need to urgently address contemporary South African issues. Revision will also offer the opportunity to incorporate modern educational practice and philosophy. This paper proposes that the contents, sequence and duration of the curriculum must be determined by the knowledge demands of dentistry (global issues) as well as by local constraints. It suggests early clinical contact and changes in syllabus content, pedagogy and assessment practices in an undergraduate course of slightly reduced duration.

In South Africa, the Grade 12 'classes of 2008 and 2009' were the first to write examinations under the revised Life Sciences (Biology) curriculum which focuses on outcomes-based education (OBE). This paper presents an exploration of what students (as learners) considered to be difficult and interesting in Grades ) 0-12 Life Sciences curricula in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase. A sample of 125 first year, pre-service Life Sciences and Natural Sciences teachers from a university responded to a questionnaire in regard to their experiences with the newly implemented FET Life Sciences curricula. The responses to the questions were analysed qualitatively and/or quantitatively. Friedman tests were used to compare the mean rankings of the four different content knowledge areas within each curriculum, and to make cross-curricular comparisons of the mean rankings of the same content knowledge area for all three curricula. All four content areas of Grade 12 were considered as being more interesting than the other two grades. In terms of difficulty, the students found the Grade 10 curriculum themes the most difficult, followed by the Grade 12 and the Grade 11 curricula. Most of the students found the themes under the content area Diversity, change and continuity (Grades 10-12) more difficult to learn than the other three content areas. It is recommended that more emphasis needs to be placed on what learners are interested in, and on having this incorporated into Life Sciences curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I report on an analysis of the alignment between the South African Grade 12 Physical Sciences core curriculum content and the exemplar papers of 2008, and the final examination papers of 2008 and 2009. A two-dimensional table was used for both the curriculum and the examination in order to calculate the Porter alignment index, which indicates the degree of match between the two. Alignment indices of 0.8 and 0.6 for Physics and Chemistry, respectively, were computed and remained constant for Physics, but fluctuated initially for Chemistry before levelling off. Using the revised Bloom's taxonomy, discrepancies were found in terms of cognitive levels as well as content areas in both Physics and Chemistry. The cognitive level Remember is under-represented in the Chemistry and Physics examinations, whereas the cognitive levels Understand and Apply were over-represented in Chemistry. It is argued that the shift to higher cognitive levels is in line with the reported increase in cognitive complexity of the Physical Sciences curriculum. The significance of the study for Physical Science teachers is highlighted, and the potential for further research is also indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Sex education is the cornerstone on which most HIV/AIDS prevention programmes rest and since the adoption of Outcomes-Based Education (OBE), has become a compulsory part of the South African school curriculum through the Life Orientation learning area. However, while much focus has been on providing young people with accurate and frank information about safe sex, this paper questions whether school-based programmes sufficiently support the needs of young people. This paper is based on a desk-review of the literature on sex and sexuality education and examines it in relation to the South African educational context and policies. It poses three questions: (a) what do youth need from sexuality education? (b) Is school an appropriate environment for sex education? (c) If so, what can be said about the content of sex education as well as pedagogy surrounding it? Through reviewing the literature this paper critically engages with education on sex and sexuality in South Africa and will argue that in order to effectively meet the needs of youth, the content of sexual health programmes needs to span the whole spectrum of discourses, from disease to desire. Within this spectrum, youth should be constructed as “knowers” as opposed to innocent in relation to sex. How youth are taught as well as how their own knowledge and experience is positioned in the classroom is as important as content in ensuring that youth avoid negative sexual health outcomes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports on an initiative to introduce, not the Philosophy for Children (P4C) programme itself, but its principles and some of its practices, into South African schools. The paper points out the conceptual links between P4C and the understanding of human development that underpins the new South African curriculum, and provides a brief review of the current context of education in South Africa. Thereafter it explains briefly why it was necessary to create new materials rather than simply using the original P4C stories and manuals. This is followed by a description of the new materials together with some illustrative extracts. Finally the paper gives an account of efforts to obtain empirical evidence regarding the impact of the materials and indicates possible future developments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Over the past decade, economics departments in South Africa have seen major changes and a certain level of disruption. Much of this can be attributed to the integration of our discipline into the global arena after a period of academic isolation. This paper presents a survey of economics departments and covers everything from staff profiles and qualifications to curricula, and research output. This paper indicates that there has been some improvement in the state of economics at South African universities since 2003 when the previous survey was conducted. Research output is largely up as is the proportion in international journals, and more researchers are producing in leading international economics publications. However, the gap between South African economics departments and their international counterparts remains large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa has undergone a decade of curricular change that has evoked much debate, study and even condemnation. New terminology has entered the public domain. However this huge curriculum revolution had a curious passenger: Information Literacy. Prior to the release of Curriculum 2005, a bold new curriculum for Information Literacy was introduced for use in schools. With the advent of Curriculum 2005, with its totally new paradigm, one would have expected that the Information Literacy curriculum would have disappeared. However, in a somewhat surprising move, it appeared within the curriculum for the new 'Learning Area': Languages, Literacy and Communication. Within this learning area it was found, intact, as one of the four Specific Outcomes, which were seen as the subdivisions of the subject. In the revision of the curriculum called the National Curriculum Statement this changed. This paper studies the position of Information Literacy within this curriculum, within each of the Learning Areas. It also outlines a practical exercise with education students to pinpoint their understanding and recommends actions for the better implementation of information literacy in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the first democratic election in South Africa in 1994, there has been a strong drive towards democratising education at all levels, primary, secondary and tertiary. The present paper examines some of the key ideas in the debate around transformation in higher education in South Africa, namely the notions of an African essence, culture and identity, as well as African knowledge systems. It contends that neither the idea of the 'essence of Africa' nor an emphasis on 'African culture and identity' constitutes an appropriate theoretical framework for conceptualising change in higher educational thought and practice in South Africa, the major problems turning on issues around essentialism and cultural relativism. Similarly, the post-colonialist and anti-discrimination discourse underpinning 'African ways of knowing' is unfortunately riddled with problems, logical and epistemological. While the present contribution is sympathetic to the basic concerns articulated in the respective debates, especially around the significance of indigenous languages, it offers both conceptual clarification as well as a critical (re-)evaluation of the pertinent issues. Thus, 'African knowledge' is argued to be a misnomer that raises more problems than it can conceivably solve. What its proponents hope to achieve is arguably better achieved by an emphasis on restorative justice that locates the principle of reconciliation within a basic framework of human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macro-environmental changes in tertiary education have prompted a review of dental curricula in order to address shortcomings in the traditional curriculum. This paper defines the philosophical principles that highlight concepts in the new innovative curriculum. The stance adopted in the development of the macro- as well as the micro-curriculum is described.

The South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) regulates undergraduate pharmacy education and pharmacy practice. The SAPC Good Pharmacy Practice manual describes the role of pharmacists in maternal and child health (MCH) in line with the recommendation of international health regulatory bodies. However, baseline study findings in 2017 supported literature from around the world that indicated a need for curriculum review and integration to address the knowledge and skills gap in pharmacists' MCH training. This paper describes the development and implementation of an integrated framework for MCH training across the four years of a Bachelor of Pharmacy program. The intervention included didactic lectures, skills practical on infant growth assessment, and an experiential learning component at primary health care clinics and pharmacies. Knowledge and skills assessment on contraception, maternal and antenatal care, and neonatal and child care were carried out pre, eight weeks post, and two years post intervention using the same questionnaire. ANOVA and post hoc analyses showed that participants' knowledge and skills increased post intervention but decreased significantly two years later except in contraception where students experienced longitudinal integration of the MCH component. Generally, participants performed above the university average except in maternal and antenatal care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The zealous introduction of the South African Outcome Based Curriculum (C2005) belies its mechanical, instrumentalist and technocratic intent. Set on identified outcomes, its deterministic drive reduces language teaching to a mechanical enterprise. The urge for critical thinking is deadened for the sake of dry drills leading towards the achievement of the targeted outcomes. Expediency is the inescapable routine in language learning and teaching context. The perpertuation of ideolocal power dynamics is veiled and sealed. My argument in this paper is mapped as follows: I establish the tonal political expediency that characterizes the deterministic nature of this curriculum; critically examine the prospect of its initial phase;relate it to language learning and teaching within a critical language teaching practice; Finally I discuss the philosophical nuances that enhance the possible survival of critical language pedagogy within the era of the South Africa version of Outcome Based Education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student field courses at Universities are increasingly incorporating problem-based interdisciplinary approaches to enhance learning opportunities. This paper reports upon seven field-based, problem-oriented, interdisciplinary courses held within southern Africa concerning natural resource management and sustainable land use. The SLUSE (Sustainable Land Use and Natural Resource Management) project, under which these courses were devised, is introduced and the process of field-course implementation is described. The SLUSE approach is discussed in terms of management issues, levels of responsibility, staff and student development and the benefits to rural host communities. The courses are very intense experiences and students encounter difficulties working across traditional academic disciplines and in cross-cultural groups. Through critical thinking and self-reflection students understand the context of their learning better and have a greater appreciation of their own personal development. The process calls for long-term commitment to the communities with whom one works closely, the recognition of sometimes having to 'think on one's feet', being prepared to make mistakes and use frustration in a positive manner and a strong respectful working relationship from the staff. We advocate this process as worthwhile as classroom theory becomes real in an applied and complex environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In his response to Kruger, Le Grange claims that: (1) the South African discourse of fundamental pedagogics was closely allied with Christian National Education and functioned as a powerful educational doctrine in the service of the South African policy of apartheid education; (2) fundamental pedagogics bracketed political discourse; (3) the connection between fundamental pedagogics and Christianity promoted an authoritarian approach to education; and (4) because didactic pedagogics and fundamental pedagogics were so intimately intertwined, South African didactic thinking also was used to serve and perpetuate the policy of apartheid education. This paper evaluates these claims and concludes that they are untenable in light of the history, nature, and purpose of South African fundamental and didactic pedagogical thinking. In his effort to link fundamental and didactic pedagogical thinking to apartheid education, Le Grange has lost sight of the profound influence of the tradition of European (Dutch/German) Didaktik on didactic thought in South Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fundamental elements of what is known today as Outcome-Based Education are clearly embodied in numerous familiar models of learning, assessment, and credentialing in the non-education world that, in some cases, are many centuries old. In virtually all of these models, successful outcome performance is the clear/fixed/pre-determined/known/constant factor in the equation, and time is the flexible/variable/adaptable factor. In formal education, however, exactly the opposite pattern exists: time is the clear/fixed/pre-determined/known/ constant factor, and learning success is the flexible/variable/adaptable factor. This makes "authentic" OBE implementation extremely difficult for modern education systems to implement because they are fundamentally Time-Based -- defined, organized, and driven by the calendar, schedule, and clock -- not Outcome-Based as some profess. South Africa is no exception to this rule -- which made its enthusiastic embracing of OBE in 1997 problematic from the start. In explaining the core fundamentals of the OBE concept and how those fundamentals evolved (particularly in North America) prior to 1997, this paper makes clear that South Africa's Curriculum 2005 initiative missed the OBE mark on almost every essential count: 1) not having a clear, compelling, and operational framework of "Exit Outcomes" on which to ground the reform and the curricular changes which drove it; 2) making no reference, either in theory or practice, to OBE's Four Operating Principles -- which enable modern day educators to get as close to "real" implementation as the Time-Based paradigm of education allows; 3) missing the mark significantly on understanding and implementing what Outcomes are -- culminating demonstrations of learning -- the multiple forms they take, and the multiple ways in which they can be designed and assessed; 4) bogging down in micro content, assessments, marking, and record-keeping -- which advanced OBE implementers warn strongly against; 5) lacking the future-focused grounding of OBE designs that are legitimately called "transformational;" and 6) falling into the familiar pattern of calling its "CBO" thinking and practices "OBE." The latter relates to an almost universal constellation of practices that make educational systems virtually unchangeable from an OBE perspective: Curriculum Based Outcomes, Content Bound Objectives, Calendar Based Opportunities, Cellular Based Organization, Contest Biased Orientations, Convenience Based Operations, and Convention Bound Obsolescence. Unfortunately, Curriculum 2005 and its key advocates appeared to take these seven CBO's as givens, which made their continuous reference to OBE incongruous at best. Consequently, the paper argues that, had South Africa's key educational policy makers in 1997, and since, taken the time to understand the six key points above, they would have been able to make a more constructive choice about the educational reforms they sought to bring about. First, recognizing these major disparities between their Curriculum 2005 strategies and the fundamentals of genuine OBE, they could have chosen to bring C2005 more strongly into alignment with OBE and modified their initial course of action considerably. Or, recognizing these major disparities, they could have chosen to drop the OBE label altogether and thereby reduced or avoided a lot of the confusion generated by implying that Curriculum 2005 required significant changes in familiar practice. For example, by maintaining the very "non-OBE" Matric and annual examination systems that had always been in place, the government kept everyone locked into traditional/conventional modes of thinking about learning, curriculum, achievement, assessment, and qualifications. Conclusion: South Africa should stop referring to OBE in any form.… [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a multimodal discourse analysis of children using 'drill-and-practice' literacy software at a primary school in the Western Cape, South Africa. The children's interactions with the software are analysed. The software has serious limitations which arise from the global political economy of the educational software industry. The package was structured around the UK National Curriculum's standardised literacy testing, and then adapted or 'localised' for use in South Africa. In the localisation process, details of content and language are customised, but the coded structure of the package (together with its educational assumptions) remains essentially unchanged. The children's interactions with the localised program are analysed as a simulation of classroom discourse. Despite the obvious limitations of the software, the study shows the children constructing their own contextual meanings from the rules of the package, and learning to interact with them as a rule-governed text. Their troubleshooting and cheating exploits are a source of pleasure to them, as they focus on the software's game-like economy of scores and marks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematical modeling of real world conditions should be part ofl mathematics classroom activities. In this paper I argue that when real world problems are taught at schools learners are not able to cope on their own, without the assistance of their educator. There is very little or no emphasis placed on this aspect of mathemtics at schools, although it is just beginning to make an appearance in our new Outcomes Based Curriculum. I also discuss an experiment conducted with Grade 10 learners (15 year old) and their responses to real world problems and the conditions that need to be considered. There is ample evidence that a lot of work on mathematical modeling of real world problems has been done elsewhere in the world, but not much has been done in South Africa. This experiment was fully conducted using Sketchpad as a mediating tool. This in itself was a difficult task because our learners have not been really exposed to dynamic geometry environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolutions is the highest ordering principle in biology, dealing with questions about ultimate causation of form and functioning at all levels of life. Its introduction into the school curriculum provides children with access to ways of thinking that can make them more enlightened citizens and prepares them for tertiary-level study. The South African school curriculum before 1994 ignored evolution because it conflicted with the religious beliefs of the government. This paper identifies content statements that relate to evolution in the most recent Natural Sciences Learning Area Statement (Grades R-9) and the Life Sciences subject statement (Grades 10-12) for South African schools. The analysis shows that key foundational concepts are developed in the Natural Sciences learning area, but the term `evolution' is absent. In the Life Sciences subject statement, evolution, speciation, natural selection, common descent and gradualism are introduced in Grade 12. Both curriculum statements emphasize the need to recognize alternative ways of knowing, including faith-based and indigenous knowledge systems. While the curriculum statements are undoubtedly an improvement on the old syllabus, we conclude that they fail to integrate the various lines of evidence into an integrated Darwinian theory of evolution, they conflate different domains of knowledge, and they misrepresent key concepts such as natural selection. By denying learners, especially those from impoverished environments, meaningful access to higher-order concepts and ways of thinking, they endanger the social justice imperative which frames the entire National Curriculum Statement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent changes in mathematics curricula, both in South Africa and elsewhere, have begun to change the overwhelmingly symbolic nature of mathematics in schools (in the sense of use of mathematical symbolism), promoting more use of the oral and written language. Engaging students in `Writing-to-Learn' activities in mathematics classrooms has been identified and claimed by various mathematics education researchers as having a positive impact on the learning of mathematics. In this paper, I report on a piece of research, which is part of a broader study, on forms of mathematical writing and written texts produced by learners in grade 7 (12–13-year-olds) classes in six junior high schools in KwaZulu-Natal, in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses the way in which undergraduate History students at the College of Education at Wits University enlarge their understanding of historical practice through engaging in an extended local history task. Most undergraduate history courses seem to exclude students from engaging in a key aspect of the practice of history — undertaking original research based on primary sources. The local history assignment initiates a diverse group students into gathering, investigating and interpreting a range of primary and secondary sources: visual, spacial, oral and written. An analysis of student reflections on what they have learnt from this shows high levels of engagement, rich insights and an enhanced sense of capacity and self-worth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the challenges facing the South African National Department of Education in its commitment to provide equal educational opportunities for all. The Story of Nothemba is central to the theme of this paper. It describes the story of a South African girl born in eQebe, whose physical disability and systematic disregard for her constitutional rights dashed her life time dream and passion to become a lawyer in a democratic South Africa. The paper argues for a critical interrogation of the following dynamics that have the potential to complicate both the implementation and optimization of the Inclusive Education Policy: (i) Understanding the social stereotypes about disability, (ii) Teacher empowerment, (iii) Systemic imbalance between support and expectations, (iv) Adopting relevant curriculum policy and assessment strategies and practices, and (v) Utilizing the research logic to inform policy implementation. The paper further calls for a robust interrogation at conceptual level about 'disability' to inform the current policies on education and training, teacher training and development, curriculum and assessment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The apartheid system of social engineering in South Africa enforced the segregation of racial groups. It lasted for 50 years, and had an impact on every aspect of society. It particularly affected the education system, resulting in inferior primary and secondary teaching of black learners. Ten years after the dissolution of apartheid, the consequences are still being felt in tertiary institutions. This legacy presents a challenge to South African medical schools, especially at a time of curriculum transformation. This paper describes how the issues of social and educational discrepancies are being addressed at the University of Cape Town. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reflects on the changes which have taken place, in the teaching of English, over the last 10 years in South Africa. It discusses the changes in education and how these have been shaped by the constitution of this young democracy. The focus is on how the new curricular policies have been implemented and the impact these have had on classroom teaching. The changes are illustrated by describing the activities of a Grade 8 class, in a private church school in Johannesburg, South Africa. The paper also looks at how the social changes in the country have brought about significant changes in the learners and how these have driven the curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the impact of educational change in South Africa on public libraries. It surveys the recent literature to conclude that the position of school libraries is precarious and that public librarians feel victimised by the new curriculum. This represents a puzzling contradiction, as librarians' expectations were that the ethos and methodologies of the new curriculum, Curriculum 2005 (C2005), would provide a more favourable climate. The curriculum has indeed brought increased use of public libraries by school learners, yet there has been little recognition in official quarters of the educational role of public libraries. It is suggested that, if librarians are to gain a better footing in curriculum planning, they need to engage with educationists as to the role libraries play in resource-based learning. They will need to provide documented evidence by means of research studies. As an example of such a study, the paper describes the author's study of school learners' use of two public libraries in a disadvantaged community in Cape Town. The libraries were found to be playing a crucial role in the learning programme of the learners. However, it is suggested that the two libraries need to design more systematic structured programmes if the needs of school learners for information literacy education are to be met. This might require explicit endorsement of their educational role by their own governance structures and the provincial Education Department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work-integrated learning (WIL), facilitated through masterclass performances, has emerged as an essential instrument for bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, enhancing the quality of education and the competitiveness of graduates in the professional world. However, there is limited knowledge about the importance of masterclass performances in enhancing WIL for opera singer graduates, especially in South African higher education. Firstly, this study applies the WIL framework for understanding the benefits and opportunities of masterclass performances in improving opera singer graduates' employability through WIL. Secondly, this study examines the potential role of adopting masterclass performances into South African higher education (music schools) curricula. The study defines masterclass performances for a curriculum providing students with working experiences in experiential learning. The study design includes a qualitative research method with critical discourse analysis. This study's findings have six themes: (a) importance of curricularisation of masterclass performances in South African higher education for opera singer graduates; (b) benefits of the masterclass for opera singer graduates, (c) successes of masterclass performances at international universities; (d) lesson for universities of South Africa from the masterclass performances (e) emerging trends in masterclass performances in improving WIL; and (f) Challenges facing curricularisation of masterclass performances in South African higher education. The findings reveal that masterclass performances in the curricula can assist opera singer graduates in improving their employability in the industry. This study concludes by affirming that the masterclass performances curriculum offers unique WIL and performative opportunities for opera singers, graduates in particular. The curricularisation of masterclass performances in South African higher education for opera singer graduates is instrumental in providing a comprehensive, practical, and well-rounded education that prepares students for successful careers in the opera industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various existing studies have established the multi-faceted nature of social inequalities in South Africa. The social inequalities also segregate schools into urban and rural schools, with adequate or lack of infrastructure influencing learners' performances in various South African schools. Hence, school principals are expected to manage the available resources to attain curriculum delivery and the whole school's performance. This qualitative study explored principals' perspectives on managing uneven school resources to achieve the goals and objectives of the education system. This study adopted an interpretive paradigm to understand the voices of 20 rural school principals in semi-structured interviews. The principals were purposively selected from 20 rural schools in King Cetshwayo district in KwaZulu-Natal. The audio-recorded interviews were thematically analysed to generate themes for findings and discussion. Findings revealed that most rural schools need more adequate school resources, and the principals need more support to attain quality curriculum delivery in schools adequately. The principals also lamented the high expectations placed on their schools for the academic excellence of their learners. Thus, the contents of each subject curriculum could not be efficiently unpacked and delivered to learners. The study, therefore, recommends improvement in resource provision to rural schools. At the same time, principals should be capacitated on effectively managing available school resources to achieve desired and efficient curriculum implementation in rural schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several decades into having become a democratic state, the proclamation “What is the use of teaching the Bantu child mathematics when he cannot use it in practice" (Verwoerd, 1953 cited in Clark & Worger, 2004, p.48) haunts the mathematics classroom and its curriculum reform. Drawing from the ideas of Althusser’s ideological state apparatus and critical discourse analysis, this article argues the non-causal inference of Verwoerd’s mathematics ideological construct on the current mathematics education reforms. Significant discussions and efforts have been dedicated to improving basic mathematics education in South Africa, but many of these discussions and efforts have yielded inadequate outcomes. Policies in basic mathematics education have inadequately addressed the challenges faced in the mathematics classroom. This article critically reflects on Verwoerd’s ideological edict and how it has indirectly shaped and continues to shape the culture and the state of mathematics teaching and learning and how the culture has translated into education policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports that the papers for this special issue were selected from a pool of nearly 700 presentations which were made at the 10th Congress of the World Council of Comparative Education Societies (WCCES), which was held in Cape Town, South Africa, from 12 to 17 July 1998. Report that the papers were selected by the convenors of the conference?s standing commissions, which provided a significant focus for the conference proceedings; Themes of the conference, including teachers and teacher education, curriculum, higher education, lifelong learning, language, literacy and basic education, gender and education, policy, theory and theory shifts, basic education in Africa, peace and justice, dependency, European education, policy research in Africa, and culture, indigenous knowledge and learning.

This paper questions whether the second Millennium Development Goal of achieving universal primary education targets by 2015 for all children to complete a full course of primary schooling, can be realised. A key contention of this paper is that this forecast is far-fetched when we take into cognizance refugee children's accessibility to education. As much as it has reported that enrolment in primary education is on the rise, refugee access to education remains a great challenge. The purpose of this paper is to explore refugee children's access to education, with reference to the South African experience. The study adopted a qualitative approach and case study design. Refugee children have limited opportunities to secondary education and experience many problems accessing primary education because of their refugee status. The study found that there are two forms of barriers to refugee children's access to education: obstacles to enrolling in a school and barriers in respect of sustaining themselves after enrolling at schools. It is concluded that the refugee children's lack of access to education does not support the attainment of second Millennium Development Goal. The study recommends enlightening school management teams about refugee children's rights to quality education. This South African study, which is symptomatic of the global refugee experience, suggests the Second Millennium Development Goal will not be realised unless the education of refugee children is taken seriously. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study is part of larger South African project funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training and EU which focused on how practitioners listen to young children in early childhood care and education to encourage a sense of belonging and participation. The study was conducted at two early childhood care and education centres, one advantaged and one disadvantaged, where practitioners were interviewed about their views and experiences of listening to children. Data were analysed qualitatively using thematic analysis. The study found that practitioners were keenly aware of the importance of listening to young children, thereby democratising pedagogical spaces and validating children's right to participate. Their views highlighted the link between listening and encouraging a sense of belonging. Furthermore, listening with regard to being relational, responsive and encouraging agency were viewed as tools to support and encourage belonging. The study also highlights the complexity of asserting children's voices in pedagogical spaces (due to factors related to time and curriculum constraints). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental education (EE) allows citizens to explore environmental issues, engage in problem solving by taking action to improve the environment in totality. To solve environmental issues, there is a need for interventions for EE globally. However, there is evidence in the field that there are no interventions in place for EE curriculum management in schools. This research aimed to explore interventions that can be fostered by distributed leadership to manage EE curriculum in schools. The current research adopted a constructivism research paradigm supporting qualitative research approach, employed the descriptive case study research design as well as non-probability sampling, which is purposive in nature, and individual interviews as data collection tools. The participants invited to contribute to the understanding of distributed leadership in schools in the current research is, two subject advisors and three principals. The findings of the current research point that there are no interventions in place to manage EE curriculum. But the research recommended strategies that could help to manage the curriculum of EE. The monitoring of teachers and learners' books were believed to be an intervention to manage the curriculum, likewise, the EE curriculum. However, the current research recommended a buy-in strategy, a need to improve the curriculum to be less theoretical, but more practical. Therefore, it is recommended that the content of EE is revisited to best suit the current human lifestyles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To manage the impact of Industry 4.0 on industrial engineering (IE) education curriculum requirements, realistic teaching and learning infrastructure such as a learning factory are required. This paper scans the literature to determine Industry 4.0's principles and interactions with IE and a learning factory, surveys relevant universities by questionnaire to determine its current status and practices, and formulates didactic design parameters for an Industry 4.0 learning factory to support IE education in South Africa, making use of existing models of cyber-physical systems and learning factory morphology. In other results, the technical universities are discovered to be more positively disposed, in general terms, to developing an Industry 4.0 learning factory than are the traditional programmes which, with one exception, prefer computational facilities. Of ten universities that offer IE, only one -- a traditional programme -- has made significant progress towards creating an Industry 4.0 learning factory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing economies such as South Africa face numerous challenges to achieve sustainability within higher education (HE). This study examined the key challenges facing leaders within HE institutions (HEIs) in South Africa, as they aim to contribute significantly towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 related to quality education. Using a qualitative research design, the study surveyed 75 leaders in various South African HEIs using an online survey platform. The findings revealed two overarching challenges across public and private institutions: an absence of strong leadership and a complex sociopolitical context. Within public institutions, additional challenges related to bureaucracy, outdated curricula, resourcing, and values were noted. Within private institutions, bureaucracy was also observed, as well as the digital divide; curricula and foundation; finance and affordability; inequitable access; lack of resourcing, benefits, and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the University of Cape Town's (UCT) Multimedia Education Group (MEG). It is no coincidence that MEG is situated in the Centre for Higher Education Development (CHED). CHED, a cross-faculty structure with faculty status, is responsible for educational development across the institution for students and staff alike. The structure is an external manifestation of an approach, which regards educational development as holistic and systemic. CHED recognizes that South Africa's complex history means that a higher education institution such as UCT now teaches students from a range of schooling systems as well as a diversity of languages, class backgrounds, nationalities and so on. Addressing such diversity becomes intrinsic to the educational process and forms part of the fabric of the institution and indeed, of the curriculum itself. It is clear that educational imperatives drive MEG's work. Technology interventions require insightful pedagogical understanding as well as innovative low-cost solutions.

The teaching of life sciences within the Islamic culture was observed in this investigation by instructors at the Association of Muslim Schools in the KZN region. The following question served as the basis for the investigation: Do Islamic schools teach life sciences from an Islamic perspective? The Association of Muslim Schools gave its approval after receiving ethical scrutiny. A questionnaire, interviews, and observations were used to gather data. The analysis of the data was conducted using an inductive methodology. The philosophy of Islam and its approaches to teaching the required Life Sciences curriculum served as the study's conceptual foundation. The results show that there is a problem with integrating religious knowledge into science teaching in Muslim ethos schools in South Africa. The Professional Teaching Model was an initiative to close the gap caused by educational dualism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Campus sexual violence risk reduction and resistance interventions have been developed and tested among female students in the global North and proven effective. Evidence-based interventions to prevent sexual violence tested amongst female students in the global South and in South African campuses are lacking. We present preliminary evidence of promise of Ntombi Vimbela! (NV!), a sexual violence prevention intervention piloted amongst first year female students in eight purposively selected campuses in South Africa. Focus group discussions were conducted with 118 female students who participated in NV! workshops. Most students found the content of NV! relevant and reported having experienced its positive effects. They perceived that NV! empowered them with skills to assess and deal with sexual assault risky situations. NV! changed their attitudes and beliefs about gender, shifted their acceptance of rape myths and beliefs, improved communication skills, enhanced self-esteem, and confidence to defend oneself in risky sexual assault situations. Few participants were unsure whether they will be able to use the skill in real life. These findings indicate a range of short-term positive outcomes which we anticipate would reduce the risk of sexual assault among first year female students. This suggests that NV! should be subject to further evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a shortage of the human resources needed to deliver mental health services which is likely to be exacerbated by COVID-19. Due to mental health workforce shortages, task-shifting and task-sharing approaches have been implemented in a number of countries. Clinical associates, a mid-level cadre working under the supervision of medical practitioners, could play a role in delivering mental health services but it is not clear if they are adequately prepared. This study explored the mental health curriculum content of the undergraduate clinical associate training programmes in South Africa and the views of key informants of the adequacy of training in mental health. Methods: A qualitative collective case study approach was utilised for this multisite study at the three universities in South Africa offering clinical associate degrees. The study consisted of in-depth interviews utilising videoconferencing of individuals involved in each programme and a document review. Thematic analysis of the data was conducted. Results: Nineteen interviews were conducted. Mental health formed part of the curriculum in all three programmes with the bulk of the training taking place in the final year of the three-year degree. Facility-based training ranged from two weeks to four weeks with one university only using hospitals with mental health units while two universities used hospitals at which the students were based for the year regardless of potential mental health exposure they would receive. The list of curricula inclusions extended to seldom-seen conditions. The quality of training and supervision appeared site-dependant and only one university set minimum experiential targets. Conclusion: There is a basis on which to build the competencies and skills regarding mental health in this cadre. A training model that integrates mental health early in the undergraduate curriculum, focuses on common conditions and those with high disease burden, includes time in a mental health unit, provides facility-based trainers with detailed guidance to improve standardisation, and includes specific experiential targets that are monitored will enhance the potential utility of this cadre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Ecotourism is one of the fastest growing tourism niches in South Africa. Higher education institutions offering undergraduate ecotourism management programmes are tasked with producing graduates that can promote the sustainability of the sector and should therefore direct their efforts to the fostering of appropriate behaviours; values are the underlying determinants of behaviour. Employing an exploratory sequential mixed methods design, the purpose of the study was to develop a framework for a values-based undergraduate ecotourism management curriculum. Thematic analysis of the empirical materials elicited from semi-structured interviews with 12 ecotourism managers resulted in the identification of 51 values. The values were subsequently rated by managers from the wider ecotourism industry through the administration of an e-survey (n = 101). A principal components exploratory factor analysis further reduced the values into four factors – "self", "outward", "reciprocation" and "betterment". This informed the framework which ultimately serves as a reference point for educational practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the findings of a study that was carried out in 2014 at the Lutheran Theological Institute (LTI) Library on user perceptions about archives in the library. Archival registration data in the form of user statics, library membership statistics, annual reports and a questionnaire were the primary sources of data. The study established that users were generally aware of what archives are, that the most consulted archival materials were church and diocese minutes and that amongst the recommended strategies to promote visibility for the archives were exhibitions, guided tours, an open day on archives and the establishment of a friends of the archives group. The key important recommendations of the study were that frequently consulted materials had to be prioritised for digitisation as it was prone to damage due to the continuous handling. Another key recommendation was the need to streamline curricula to incorporate induction on archival instruction to help raise awareness about archives thereby promoting their importance and use within the Lutheran community. Lastly, the input of stakeholders as part of the friends of the archives group will help to champion the cause for religious archives, especially for the Pietermaritzburg Cluster of Theological Libraries (PCTL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing maternal and child mortality is a health priority in South Africa. Therefore, health professional education should produce graduates that can meet these needs. This study compared the maternal and child health (MCH) knowledge and skills of cohorts of final-year students exposed to a traditional (in 2017 and 2018) and integrated (2019) curriculum using a 34-item questionnaire. Between the 2019 and 2017 cohorts, ANOVA and post hoc analysis showed significant differences in the reproductive and sexual health component which was dispersed in the second and final years of study (p = 0.007, Mean Difference (MD) = 8.3) andneonatal and child care (p = 0.000, MD = 15). while it was only in maternal and antenatal care (p = 0.009, MD = 10.0) for the 2019 and 2018 cohorts. Significant differences were observed in participants' average mean scores (p = 0.000 for 2018 and 2017). The highest mean scores were recorded by the 2019 cohort in the three assessments. A one-sample t-test showed the highest mean differences in the reproductive and sexual health components (p = 0.000; MD 2017 = 12.4, MD 2018 = 14.8, MD 2019 = 20.7). Overall, the integrated MCH curriculum and the longitudinal dispersion of content enhanced students' knowledge and skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reading challenges children face in the lower grades of primary school in South Africa are well publicised. Children's literature is critical in early childhood education, supporting growth in multiple domains. The study aimed to explore the implementation of Grade R children's literature curricula at selected early childhood development (ECD) centres in Johannesburg. Four Grade R teachers teaching at different ECD centres were chosen as the study's participants. The four ECD centres selected were in demographically disparate areas of Johannesburg. Two followed the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) curriculum, one followed the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA) curriculum, and one followed the Reggio-Montessori curriculum. The study is a generic qualitative inquiry, and data were generated using semi-structured interviews with Grade R teachers at the ECD centres, observations of lessons, and document analysis. Three themes emerged from the data analysis. Firstly, the Grade R children's literature curricula's content, design, and implementation aim to develop children holistically. Secondly, Grade R teachers use different methods to teach children's literature. Finally, Grade R teachers pay close attention to their classroom contexts when planning and executing children's literature lessons. The authors conclude that the architecture of the children's literature curriculum at the selected centres is a complex function of various factors. These include the content of the curriculum, the methods used by the teachers in delivering it, and the teacher's responses to the contexts in which they teach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community engagement (CE) has been identified as an important pillar alongside teaching and research in higher education. Despite this it has emerged slowly within the South African landscape due to a lack of understanding regarding engagement. Drawing on in-depth interviews, this study sought to explore how academics (N=14), at a University of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa understood CE and the processes involved in engagement. The study found that CE was a symbiotic relationship that involved collaboration with communities in order to understand community needs, nurture community partnerships, and ensure sustainable engagement initiatives. Finally, the data reflected that in order to enable social change, the community should be honoured as a source of knowledge and the university should recognise the benefits of engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]