Phenomenology in education : a case study in educational leadership

[From the introduction]: Overheard during tea at an Education Faculty research design course: “Phenomenology produces interesting and surprising results, but it’s just too much work …” The speaker was a prospective Masters student who had decided against “phenomenological” research, presumably because “it’s just too much work”. Having been deeply involved in phenomenological research myself for some years, I could identify with his reservation. But his first statement is of course equally true: phenomenological research does indeed produce “interesting and surprising results”, as many of my students have found. I should at the outset describe what I mean by phenomenological research more carefully, since, as Schweitzer (2002) has recently pointed out, there is certainly more than one meaning out there. The kind of research I am referring to is not the kind frequently featured in this journal, which Schweitzer (2002) describes as “Husserlian”, but another kind, which he describes as “‘what’s it like for them’ type of studies”. In this paper I present a case for the latter, and consider its appropriateness to the field of education. I argue that this approach to phenomenological research (which Schweitzer refers to as empirical) is a potentially powerful way of making sense of education practitioners’ (and learners’) sense-making, and can lead to startling new insights into the uniquely complex processes of learning, teaching and educational managing and leading

Practise what you preach: Stanford's German songs

Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) had an immense influence on the young composers who were his students at the Royal College of Music in London where he taught from 1883. Unlike many other composers, Stanford committed his views on composition to paper: they are to be found in his book Musical composition: a short treatise for students (1911) and in certain chapters (especially “The composition of music”) of his book Interludes, records and reflections (1922). The application of his strict ideas on composition to his own German songs (all eighteen on texts by Heine), reveals that he generally adheres to his own advice: he practises what he preaches. An analysis of the songs also shows them to be worthy of much wider recognition. With a few exceptions, the meaning of the text is very convincingly and movingly conveyed

Herbert Howells’s “Two Afrikaans songs” (1929)

The English composer Herbert Howells (1892-1983) did not understand the Afrikaans language, but he did hear it spoken when he travelled in South Africa in 1921. In his letters from South Africa he made very negative comments on the sound of the language. In this article his “Two Afrikaans Songs” of 1929 (Eensaamheid and Vryheidsgees, on texts by Jan F E Celliers) are analysed in order to determine whether his settings in a language foreign to him are convincing. It is concluded that the songs reveal remarkable sensitivity to the Afrikaans texts. Howells probably consulted the Afrikaans-speaking South African mezzo-soprano Betsy de la Porte, who was a student at the Royal College of Music in London where he was teaching. The “Two  Afrikaans Songs” are a surprising, extraordinary and invaluable contribution to the Afrikaans song repertoire

Capacitive coupling on overhead power lines

Published ArticleThis paper contains research performed on the effects of capacitive coupling on overhead power lines under loss of phase conditions in an earthed system. The research was triggered by a contact incident which occurred on a 11kV overhead line during unplanned maintenance performed under live conditions

Phenomenology in Education: A Case Study in Educational Leadership

Readers should note that the paper below - penned by one of the journal's editorial panellists - is being published with the aim of stimulating debate around the issue of using a phenomenological research paradigm in the study of education leadership. This is especially important in view of the multiple methodologies that are prevalent within the broad scope of the social sciences and, equally important, the seemingly ever-changing methodological scenarios that do not necessarily usher in any paradigmatic changes. Reader response is encouraged in the hope that a special issue dealing with Phenomenology in Education can be published in the short to medium term. [Editor's note]Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, Volume 4, Edition 1 July 200

‘Playing school.’ An argument for peer teaching role play in home language reading practice

The Foundation Phase Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (2010) recommends Paired Reading for teaching reading literacy in both Home Language and Additional Language classrooms. This article describes research on the reading histories of teachers enrolled in an in-service Bachelor in Education (B.Ed.) programme. Nearly one third of these teachers learned to read from other children in poor rural villages before going on to become successful readers and students. This finding challenges the notion of literacy learning in which adults are the main role models. In this article I argue firstly that play based learning is neglected in the curriculum. Secondly, I suggest that peer tutoring provides an opportunity to use child led play to encourage children to practise reading and writing at school and home, relying on play structures already known to them. I suggest therefor that play should be recommended more strongly in Foundation Phase classrooms than the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement presently advises.Keywords: Early literacy, Play, Narrative research, Paired reading, Learning to read

Mentoring and prospects for teacher development - a South African perspective

School-based mentoring has developed in response to a number of factors pertaining to the pre-service education of student teachers and the in-service professional development of experienced teachers. Traditionally teacher education has consisted of university-based theory with school-based practice, based on an understanding of professional learning as ‘theory into practice’. One of the problems with this model is that theory may come to seem too remote from practice, and that practice appears untheorised by remaining implicit and unproblematised. The one-year teachers’ diploma course offered by the Rhodes University Education Department incorporates a ten-week teaching practice slot. This protracted period has been useful in allowing frequent and consistent contact between university tutors and student teachers, and between mentor teachers and student teachers. Where the system has not been strong is in enabling meaningful collaboration among all three parties. A pilot school-based mentoring programme was thus implemented in 1999, involving English First and Second Language student teachers, the two university tutors and seven mentor teachers. Ongoing evaluative research revealed that the programme was welcomed by all, and that the student teachers in particular gained much in the way of learning to be critically reflexive in a non-threatening environment. However, the research also uncovered areas that need to be developed. Student teachers, for example, need guidance in terms of learning how to talk about teaching; mentor teachers need to develop the confidence and expertise required to open up their practice in a critically constructive context. On the strength of the programme’s success, the Education Department has extended school-based mentoring to all HDE students, and is exploring ways of setting up courses through which other educators (such as EDOs) may receive training in pre- and in-service teacher mentoring

School principals' perceptions of team management : a multiple case-study of secondary schools

The notion of school management through teams (team management), though not a new phenomenon in South Africa, was formalized after the advent of democracy in 1994 and the subsequent reorganization of the education system. The concept was subsequently fleshed out in official documentation where the composition and roles of school management teams (SMTs) were elaborated upon. The notion of team management is rooted in theories that stress participation, notably site-based (school-based) management, teamwork, and distributed leadership. We report on a study in which the perceptions of secondary school principals, in Grahamstown, South Africa, of team management were explored. The study was interpretive in orientation, and utilized qualitative data gathering techniques in all (ten) of the state-aided secondary schools in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape province. We found that, while team management was generally welcomed and even celebrated by principals, there were fundamental tensions surrounding principals' understanding of their leadership roles in a team context. We consider the implications of these findings for leadership development in the context of team management

Clearing of transient faults in MV networks

Published ArticleThis paper contains research performed on the effectiveness of methods that aims to clear transient faults on MV networks without causing momentary supply loss to customers due to ARC operations, which is achieved by "instantaneous" interruption of fault currents. This is done by momentarily disconnecting the NECR's neutral earth connection. Currently the research also includes the implementation of single pole breakers which are able to trip independently from each other within 25ms. Implementing these methods of clearing transient faults will result in less stress being placed on breakers, joints, conductors and transformers within the MV network. It will also yield a better QoS performance with regards to dips and momentary interruptions. Lastly, the scheme will result in up to 50 times less burn wounds on people or animals in the unfortunate case of making contact with the MV network

Practise what you preach: Stanford's German songs

Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) had an immense influence on the young composers who were his students at the Royal College of Music in London where he taught from 1883. Unlike many other composers, Stanford committed his views on composition to paper: they are to be found in his book Musical composition: a short treatise for students (1911) and in certain chapters (especially “The composition of music”) of his book Interludes, records and reflections (1922). The application of his strict ideas on composition to his own German songs (all eighteen on texts by Heine), reveals that he generally adheres to his own advice: he practises what he preaches. An analysis of the songs also shows them to be worthy of much wider recognition. With a few exceptions, the meaning of the text is very convincingly and movingly conveyed