Browsing by Author "Magwanyana, Thandokuhle Prince."

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2

Professional learning communities and FET Phase Life Orientation teacher learning: a case study in Umkambathi Circuit.
(2018) Magwanyana, Thandokuhle Prince.; Naidoo, Jaqueline Theresa.
This study explored the learning experiences of three FET Phase Life Orientation (LO) teachers in Professional Learning Communities in one secondary school in the Umkhambathi circuit. In addition, the purpose of this study was to examine how FET Phase Life Orientation teachers learnt in Professional Learning Communities. The study was located within the interpretative paradigm and a qualitative approach was adopted. Semi-structured interviews and a collage were used to collect data. Three participants were interviewed. The study was based on one district, circuit and one school in KwaZulu-Natal. The findings show that two major activities take place at FET Phase Life Orientation meetings. Firstly, assessment is a major activity, which includes the setting of question papers, the moderation of scripts, discussing previous question paper standards, and developing memoranda together. Secondly, content discussions are based on the content knowledge of Life Orientation. This FET Phase Life Orientation PLC reflects the characteristics of effective professional learning communities that were based on the ideas put forward by Stoll et al. (2006). Furthermore, the following positive characteristics were evident: collective responsibility, reflective professional inquiry, collaboration and group work, as well as individual learning. However, not all of the characteristics of Stoll et al. (2006) were evident, as shared values and vision were not observed. Consequently, the FET Phase Life Orientation PLC in this study can be viewed as a PLC because four out of five of the characteristics set out by Stoll et al. (2006) for PLCs were evident. Consequently, as drawn from this study, it is imperative for the Department of Basic Education to give teachers an opportunity to lead and strengthen their PLCs.
The representations of contemporary legislation in South African Grade 12 Business Studies textbooks.
(2022) Magwanyana, Thandokuhle Prince.; Ramdhani, Jugathambal.; Mtshali, Muntuwenkosi Abraham.
The purpose of the study was to analyse the representations of contemporary legislation in South African Grade 12 Business Studies textbooks. Critical discourse analysis (CDA) was used as a contemporary theoretical approach to qualitative research with a view to examining the use of words and sentences. Employing a qualitative approach allowed for the extraction of rich data from the diverse meanings that different textbooks assign to current legislation, as portrayed in Grade 12 Business Studies textbooks. Qualitative research is unrestricted and adaptable. The study employs Critical Theory (CT) to demonstrate how bureaucratic, cultural, and social power in society influence the representations of legislation, such that what may be known about legislation is subjectively shaped by the values and social positioning of the dominant group. The main focus of this study is CDA, a social analysis programme that examines discourse critically; in other words, how language is used to address social change. The analytical tools used in the study were ―Omission‖, ―Insinuation‖, ―Presupposition‖, ―Modality‖, ―Topicalisation‖, ―Foregrounding‖, ―Register‖ and ―Connotation‖, as employed by (Huckin, 1997, 91, 93; McGregor, 2003, 4-6). Findings from the analysis of six South African Grade 12 Business and Studies textbooks indicate that the use of power is still embedded in the written words, to maintain control of society by those in the elite. The findings also indicated that school textbooks lack neutrality. The implications of the findings suggest that the South African Grade 12 Business Studies textbooks are overwhelmed with issues of power and control and hidden messages, even though no explicit linguistic features are articulated at the surface level. Awareness must be raised among policymakers, textbook creators, textbook users, facilitators, teachers, and schools, to make power relationships and social group illustrations in textbooks more reasonable. Grade 12 Business Studies teachers treat school textbooks used in the classroom as if they are neutral. However, there is a need for teachers to critically engage with school textbooks and to examine how and why specific texts are written or presented in particular ways. Grade 12 Business Studies teachers, in collaboration with subject specialists, scholars, and policymakers, must examine school textbooks.