Die beeld van die opvoeder - 'n groep Opvoedkunde-studente se sieninge

The academic successes and failures of learners during their school years are closely linked to the quality of their educators. It is therefore necessary to determine what knowledge and skills the practitioners of this profession should have to effect such a tremendous influence on their clients' lives. A review of the literature serves as theoretical base for the empirical study. In the article I report on the content analysis of short essays of a group of Education students, in which they were required to either pay tribute to educators who played an important role during their school years or denounce educators who they felt should never have entered the profession. From the literature and the content analysis, it appeared that the nature of learner-education relations and the scope of an educator's academic and professional knowledge and skills determined whether a person was a good or unsatisfactory educator. South African Journal of Education Vol.24(2) 2004: 153-15

Sieninge van 'n groep swart opvoeders oor onderwysersunielidmaatskap en –doelstellinge

A group of black educators' views on membership and objectives of teachers' unions. The internationally recognised right of association is recognised in South Africa by the constitution and the Labour Relations Act. Each worker, including educators, has the right to participate in establishing a trade union and to join the trade union of his/her choice. However, some politicians and academics doubt whether the educator as active trade union member can be reconciled with the professional educator. The article reports, against the background of a brief literature review of trade unions in general and teachers' trade unions in particular, on an empirical study of a group of educators' reasons for trade union membership, as well as their participation in and views of teachers' unions. The study showed that the teachers' union members who participated in the study participated actively in trade union activities. It also appeared that educators joined trade unions for economic, professional, educational, political, social and psychological reasons, amongst others. Respondents regarded the role of teachers ' unions in education policy matters, professional development of educators, and improvement in the economic position of members as the most important objectives of teachers' unions. (South African Journal of Education: 2003 22(3): 230-238

The changing face of colonial education in Africa

A book review by Prof Corene de We

'n Media-analise oor misdaad in die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwys

A media analysis on crime in South African education In a content analysis report it was attempted to determine how and with what purpose the printed media report on crime in the South African education sector. The following discursive themes were identified: Media criticism against black educators and learners. Children's rights. Crime in education as a reflection of the disintegration of community values. Principals' denial that crimes were perpetrated at their schools. The relation between location of schools and crime. A culture of violence and crime reigns in education. A spirit of despair and fear pervades education as a result of crime. The media as advocates and mouthpieces for the wronged parties. A political discourse in which attention is paid to racism, as well as the influence of the apartheid and integrated education systems on crime. Finally a number of less prominent themes such as control of firearms, effectiveness of the police, and parental involvement are dealt with. On the grounds of the content analysis it could be concluded that crime is running riot in South African education. However, the possibility exists that this conclusion was based on a skewed media reality. (South African Journal of Education: 2003 23 (1): 36-44

The extent and causes of learner vandalism at schools

School vandalism has negative economic, psychological, and educational implications for education. On the other hand, well-cared for school facilities, furniture and equipment, as well as clean toilets, are conducive to a healthy teaching and learning environment. Because learners have the right to be taught in tidy, clean school buildings, the aim of this research was to investigate the perceptions of a group of educators regarding aspects of school vandalism. It was evident from the research that vandalism is a learned phenomenon in schools and adjoining residential areas. Learners, particularly boys between the ages of 14 and 19, are the most important vandals. However, it is clear that schools are regularly vandalised by herdsmen, gangsters, drop-outs, ex-learners, and learners from neighbouring schools. The research indicated that juridical, economic, drug and alcohol, as well as learner-related, problems are considered important causes of school vandalism. On the other hand, it was found that educator and school management practices are less important causes of learner vandalism. South African Journal of Education Vol.24(3) 2004: 206-21

Free State educators' experiences and recognition of bullying at schools

No Abstract.South African Journal of Education Vol. 26(1) 2006: 61-7

Educators’ perspectives on risk factors for learner-on-learner bullying

Educators are the key role-players in the successful development and implementation of most anti-bullying programmes and/or intervention strategies. This article sets out to report on findings from a qualitative study on educators’ perspectives of the risk factors for learner-on-learner bullying. Educators who were furthering their studies at the University of the Free State, South Africa, were invited to take part in the study on different types of bullying. This article focuses on the narratives of 91 participants who described the incidence of learner-on-learner bullying. The study uses a four-level, social-ecological model as the theoretical framework. Individual, family, institutional and societal risk factors for bullying were identified by means of a qualitative content analysis. It is suggested in the article that although risk-focused prevention strategies may lead to a reduction in bullying, prevention strategies should not target only these (negative) factors, but try to promote protective factors on all four social-ecological levels

Die uitbeelding van swart mense in Suid-Afrikaanse skoolgeskiedenishandboeke

Curriculum 2005 and the Chisholm Report tolled the knell of history as an individual discipline in South African schools. In future history will form part of the human and social sciences. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the portrayal of black people in school history textbooks. It appears that 1994 was a watershed year. Before then, black people were represented as faceless, peripheral figures in school history textbooks. Their actions, religion and civilisation were strongly criticised. After the first democratic election a total paradigm shift occurred. School history textbooks now represent the view of black people; hence white colonists and the apartheid regime have become the target of scathing criticism

Social media commenters’ understanding of the antecedents of teacher-targeted bullying

This article reports on the findings of a small-scale, extant, qualitative social media research study on commenters’ understanding of the antecedents of teacher-targeted bullying. Comments on an article posted by Sarah Sorge (2013) on The Educator’s Room were used as data source. Guided by an ecological model and the attribution theory, the study identified victim and perpetrator attributes, colleagues’ indifference and unprofessionalism, school management’s lack of leadership and failure to address the problem, as well as socio-cultural factors and policy changes as antecedents of teacher-targeted bullying. It is argued that conventional teacher-learner power relations are flawed due to the unsupportive, even antagonistic attitudes of parents, colleagues, society at large, people in leadership positions and policy makers towards the victims of teacher-targeted bullying. It is concluded that, despite ethical dilemmas, the advent of the Internet and social media has created opportunities for researchers to use comments posted on the Internet as a data source to investigate teacher-targeted bullying. Keywords: attribution theory; ecological model; educator-targeted bullying; qualitative researc

Om te staak of nie te staak nie? Die sieninge van 'n aantal swart opvoeders

To strike or not to strike? The views of a number of black educators. South African educators' right to strike is protected by the Labour Relations Act and the Bill of Rights. Educators' right to strike is not an absolute right, as exercising this right may lead to violation of the rights of learners. According to education stakeholders who are critical of educators' participating in strikes or threatening to strike, educators should regard their responsibility towards learners as of greater importance than their own interests. First of all a literature review - against the background of the above statement of the problem - of the reasons for, goals and functions of strikes in general is provided, as well as of educator strikes. Secondly I report on an empirical investigation of the views of a group of black educators on their right to strike, as well as the reasons why they have participated in strikes or not. South African Journal of Education Vol.23(4) 2003: 264-27