Quality assurance

This umthamo will help teachers develop their own pictures of a quality school in the Eastern Cape.  This will be done through surveying the school stakeholders and examining an effectiveness, relevance and efficiency approach in studying quality.

Jika iMfundo - a NECT funded pilot to improve education outcomes in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa studied how classrooms, schools and districts have changed; what has been learned from previous initiatives; and needs to be done to improve interventions in the future.

Part of the Being a Teacher module is a 47 minute long video which introduces viewers to the perceptions, doubts and concerns of student teachers about their choice of career. Through a range of interviews with two celebrities and teachers, as well as clips of classroom teaching and school management practices, we explore the role of the teacher as a knowledge worker; care giver; and change agent through teaching and management. On the basis of these experiences, we return to the questions that initiated the tour of schools and classrooms.

This accredited journal publishes contributions from any field of education. While the emphasis is on empirical research, theoretical or methodological papers, review articles, short communications, book reviews and letters containing fair commentary on previously published articles will also be considered. Priority is given to articles that are relevant to Africa or that address cross-cultural topics, and to contributions addressing educational issues of social change and development.

The Journal of Education is an interdisciplinary publication of original research and writing on education. The journal aims to provide a forum for scholarly understanding of the field of education. A general focus of the journal is on curriculum. Curriculum is understood in a wide and interdisciplinary sense, encompassing curriculum theory, history, policy and development at all levels of the education system (e.g. schooling, adult education and training, higher education). Contributions that span the divide between theory and practice are particularly welcome. Although principally concerned with the social sciences, the journal encourages contributions from a wider field.

Being a Teacher: Professional Challenges and Choices. Section Five, The teacher as knowledge–worker. Should teachers be imparting content knowledge or playing the role of a facilitator in a more learner-centred approach? This fundamental question – which may not have an either / or answer – links well the module ‘Learners and Learning’. We have just explored the ‘in authority’ role of teachers with respect to managing the learning environment. Now we turn to the role of the teacher as ‘an authority’, one who is expected to have a sound knowledge base that includes the skill of imparting knowledge to learners, in other words, a curriculum practitioner.

This module aims at empowering school managers and teachers to develop and implement appropriate mentoring programmes. This module covers:
The learning guide of this module addresses three key questions as follows:

• What is mentoring?
• What are the personal and professional qualities of effective mentors?
• How can we managing the establishment, monitoring and evaluation of a school mentoring programme?

The following are the learning outcomes of the module:

• Demonstrate knowledge of mentorship
• Demonstrate understanding of the significance of mentoring programmes in South Africa in general and schools in particular
• Demonstrate the skills and personal qualities for successful mentoring
• Manage the establishment , monitoring and evaluation of a mentoring and coaching programme
• Understand and be able to apply relevant content knowledge in mentoring
• Understand the role of a school mentoring programme as part of the school’s overall development plan.