https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/4673 2026-05-11T20:11:16Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/4292 A comparative perspective on teacher attitude-constructs that impact on inclusive education in South Africa and Sweden Nel, Norma; Muller, Helene; Hugo, Anna; Helldin, Rolf; Backman, Orjan; Dwyer, Helen; Skarlind, Anders This article is based on joint research, between academics from South Africa and Sweden, comparing the influence of South African and Swedish teachers' attitudes towards the practical application of inclusive education (IE) in the classroom. The aim of the study was to identify and investigate problem areas pertaining to teachers' attitudes to IE. Attitudes often relate to interaction with others. This study departs from Festiger's theory of cognitive dissonance, which deals with the influence of people's attitudes and attitude change. In this research teachers from South Africa and Sweden completed the same questionnaire on perceptions pertaining to IE in their school system. A number of attitude-constructs were derived from the data via exploratory factor analysis methodology. Attitude-constructs included policy issues and specialised support; practical implementation of IE; teacher support structures; teachers' receptiveness of IE implementation; feasibility of proposed IE practices; and role of special schools in an IE environment. Negative responses to some of the attitude constructs identified problem areas in Swedish and South African inclusive systems. The comparative nature of the work enabled the researchers to suggest remedial action within each country's socio-economic setting, and in this way affect change in teacher attitudes. © 2011 EASA. 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/3416 How do professionals develop? Lessons for the effective implementation of the South African Skills Development Act Steyn, G.M. Strategy (NSDS), have been initiatives to develop the people of South Africa and to provide educational and economic opportunities for all. In order to implement NSDS, 25 Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) have been established within different economic sectors that cover the South African economy. The SETA Education, Training and Development Practices, known by the acronym ETDP SETA, is responsible for promoting and facilitating the delivery of education, training, and development. Delivering quality education and training is currently one of the most important endeavours for the restoration of the culture of teaching and learning. Professional development (PD) of educators is seen as an essential ingredient for promoting the delivery of education and training and improving learners' performance. Despite research findings, the development of many PD programmes rests on faulty assumptions of such research or on no research at all. The purpose of the paper is twofold: to explain why some PD programmes have been unsuccessful, and to outline key factors that may influence the effective implementation of PD in schools and ultimately the effectiveness of the NSDS in educational circles. Specific categories that are highlighted include learning styles of educators, educator commitment, transformational leadership, out-of-school conditions, in-school conditions, and requirements of programmes. According to the model for PD, the design of PD requires a new way of thinking and interacting and, most importantly, should be a step towards improved educator and learner performance for the sake of effective knowledge and skills development. 2004-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/3415 The courage to change : challenges for teacher educators Schulze, Salome With the introduction of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), the education system in South Africa changed from content-based to outcomes-based education (OBE). The Faculty of Education at the University of South Africa (UNISA) also endeavoured to shift to OBE. In addition, the faculty had been criticised for the poor quality of certain of its distance-education material and, consequently, several lecturers engaged in rewriting learning material. During the transition period, when materials written according to “old’ approaches and already-updated new materials, were simultaneously in use, research was undertaken to determine the preferences of Honours BEd learners regarding learning material. Questionnaires were mailed to 2 421 Honours BEd learners residing in South Africa and 818 were returned. Analysis of the returned questionnaires indicated that the learners revealed ambiguity in their responses. They recorded a willingness to move towards more meaningful learning approaches. Yet, at the same time they seemed to prefer traditional teaching practices for various reasons. This finding poses special challenges to lecturers if learners are to realise effective learning. To be able to meet these challenges, lecturers need to change their traditional teaching practice and therefore require relevant training. Training should focus on course design, the use of media other than print, and contemporary learning theories. 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/3411 Linking the Human Resource Management in Education module to knowledge management Steyn, G.M. Relevance of and interest in knowledge as critical components of the intellectual discours e ha ve becom e inc reas ingly evid ent to th e academ ic community.The world of work has changed which implies that learners should be prep ared for occupations requ iring higher levels of knowledge and skills. T he latte r are n ot only re lated to th e curriculum, bu t also include the pe rson al qua lities required in the transformed work place. The interest in and value of knowledge embedded in hum an experiences, skills and abilities comprise an em erging discourse known as knowledge management. A problem that comes to the fore is: how can hum an resource m anagem ent in the field of education be linked to knowledge m anagem ent? A clear operational distinction is drawn between in formatio n, learning and knowledge. F or this article two models of knowledge m anagem ent are described: knowledge ca tegory models and socially constructed m odels of knowledge management. To link a module in human resource management in education to knowledge management, a brief outline of the module and its three approaches are described. The article concludes with an application of knowledge management to the Hum an Resource Management in Education module. 2003-01-01T00:00:00Z