Browsing by Author "Swart, Marinda Elizabeth."
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Item A case study of foundation phase teachers' perceptions and use of school libraries for teaching and learning in two primary schools in Durban.(2016) Rusangiza, Ntasakira.; Swart, Marinda Elizabeth.School libraries play an important role in enabling quality education. The implementation of the resourced rich and learner-centered curricula in post-apartheid South Africa necessitates FP teachers to use school libraries. Yet, the lack of resourced functional school libraries as well as the under-utilisation of school libraries is a current issue in South Africa. The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how and why Foundation Phase (FP) teachers use their school libraries for teaching and learning purposes. It also included exploring FP teachers’ perceptions of school libraries. The study was located in two primary schools in Durban, South Africa, each with a resourced school library. This study employed a qualitative research design located in an interpretive paradigm. As a qualitative case study of five Foundation Phase (FP) teachers in two schools, the data was generated using a multi-mode approach. Data was generated through a biographical questionnaire, individual structured interviews and a focus group discussion using on an artefact activity as arts-based method. These data generation methods provided a space for the exploration and interpretation of the participants’ experiences of using the school library for teaching and learning purposes. The theoretical framework draws on the attributes of a user-friendly library and a taxonomy of evaluating the use of libraries. The findings reflect that the participants were very aware of the current unequal provisioning of school libraries in South Africa due to the apartheid legacy. The FP teachers were aware of the crucial primary role that the school library played in teaching and learning in the FP yet that it has become secondary due to technological developments. The findings show an organisational culture of reading and library use by both teachers and learners irrespective of a lack of a national school library policy. The FP teachers’ reasons for using the school library is also driven by personal, cognitive and affective choices. A key recommendation of this study is that teacher education providers as well as school management teams should invest in ensuring that all teachers’ are competent library users.Item Exploring mentor learning through the practice of mentoring student teachers during school-based teaching practice.(2015) Pillay, Grace Mary Ruth.; Swart, Marinda Elizabeth.School-based teaching practice with productive mentored support in actual classroom settings is a current focus in Initial Teacher Education and has been explored internationally and nationally as a mode of professional development for student teachers. In the South African context, as early as 2000, the Norms and Standards for Educators (South Africa, Department of Education, 2000) declared that teaching practice is central to Initial Professional Education of Teachers (IPET). Currently South African Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (South Africa, Department of Higher Education and Training, 2011) stipulate that learning in practice needs to take place in school settings with mentored support. The historical notion of mentor depicted an experienced, older, wiser person, whose roles included educating, counselling, guiding, supporting, being a confidant and parenting with the goal of mentoring as finding one‟s role in adulthood. Traditional roles focused on one-to-one relationships whereas more contemporary views allow for collaborative learning with a view to support not only the mentee but mentor learning as well. The purpose of the study is to explore mentor learning through the practice of mentoring student teachers during school-based teaching practice. The study was supported by a qualitative approach located in the interpretive paradigm. A case study methodology using multi-mode qualitative data collection methods drew on the learning experiences of four teachers who serve as mentors at one specific school in the Chatsworth area. The data which was collected through a biographical questionnaire, individual face to face semi-structured interviews and a focus group discussion allowed the participants to explore and interpret experiences of mentoring and learning during school-based teaching practice (Maree, 2007). Drawing on the data generated, this study found that mentor learning in the context of this school took place when the mentor teachers were able to take their formal studies, experiences of teaching and mentoring and work collaboratively during the Site based Initiative for Mentoring (SIM). Evans‟s (2002) study which explores four elements of teacher development was adapted as the lens for the study. The four elements for teacher education and development were signposted as attitudinal, functional, role and cultural development and learning. Drawing on the data generated, the analysis of this study revolved around two themes. The themes spoke to how mentors perceived and enacted their roles as mentor teachers by being mentor leaders, displaying passion as well as being problem solvers. The second role of being a supporter to student teachers entailed emotional support, support in acquiring practical skills as well as extending the work of the university. The mentor teachers learnt about mentoring in the context of their practising school when the mentor teacher participants were able to learn with and from others. Learning about mentoring was displayed as functional learning as the mentor teachers learnt new strategies or modified existing strategies such as time-saving techniques and mentor pedagogy. The participants learnt from student teachers, other mentor teachers as well as through their own reflection and embraced the discourse of collegiality and collaboration within the practice of mentoring. The findings in relation to what and how learning happened indicated that mentor teachers had opportunities to learn about mentoring through the practice of mentoring. Mentors have also recognised that competence and skills gaps hinder mentoring and result in a fragmented practice in the school context. Great emphasis is placed on mentoring for Initial Teacher Education. The responsibility of the university in providing a structured mentoring programme for all mentors should give purpose and direction to the practice of mentoring during school-based teaching practice. Mentor teachers play a pivotal role in the life of the student teacher, but this is best accomplished when they are motivated to successfully implement what was previously articulated in policies.Item Exploring novice teacher educators (NTEs) experiences of relational learning in a private higher education institution (HEI)(2019) Kistan, Priya.; Swart, Marinda Elizabeth.This study explored Novice Teacher Educators (NTEs) experiences of Relational Learning in a private Higher Education Institution (HEI) in South Africa. The main purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how NTEs involved in initial teacher education experience Relational Learning in a private HEI. It further attempted to gain an insight of how these experiences of Relational Learning influenced their learning as teacher educators and their work as NTEs in a private HEI context. Literature used in this research highlighted the need to develop competent NTEs due to the increase demand for access into higher education institutions, public and private, the limited structured induction and mentoring for NTEs and the limited research on the relational experiences of NTEs. Key debates on national and international higher education contexts were also foregrounded. The literature review also focused on understanding the phenomenon of Relational Learning as a progressive approach to learning, through and about relationships. Relational Learning is viewed as a catalyst for learning with others. Situated Learning Theory (SLT) and Relational Cultural Theory (RCT) was employed as the theoretical framework for the study. The study focuses on six NTEs who are newly appointed teacher educators in their first three years of employment primarily involved in the teaching of pre-service teachers (or student teachers) in a private HEI's as research context. The NTE participants moved from a school context into a HE context. This research study is a qualitative interpretive case study. All six NTEs that participated in this research were purposively selected by the researcher. Criteria used to select participants included NTE being in their first three years of their higher education careers and being able to access technologically devices. A qualitative approach was used to generate data and the data generation instruments used were questionnaires, individual semi structured interviews and a collage with presentation. The data generation process took three months and data generated was validated for authenticity by each participant by member checking. The findings of the data revealed that NTEs experienced many challenges in their first few months of being NTEs and considered this to be an exceptionally overwhelming shift. To overcome these difficult times NTEs moved to develop relationship with colleagues and more than often self-selected their mentors to guide and assist them as there was limited structured and mentoring with the institution. The relationship developed between NTE and self-selected mentor is a growth fostering relationships as foregrounded in Relational Cultural Theory. The xiii. findings of this research showed that mutual relationships between NTEs and teacher educators paved the way for NTE to become active members of communities of practice (COP). The responsibilities of HEIs is to provide relational opportunities for NTEs so they may ease into the profession. Relational opportunities such a mentoring, inductions, conversations and social activities to name a few have a fundamental role to play in enculturating a NTEs into HEI. Relational Learning has a pivotal role to play in the growth and development of NTEs thus improving the quality of teacher educationItem On becoming a teacher : novice teachers' experiences of early professional learning.(2013) Swart, Marinda Elizabeth.; Samuel, Michael Anthony.; Pillay, Daisy Guruvasagie.This study explored the Early Professional Learning (EPL) of Novice Teachers (NTs) in the process of becoming a teacher within a South African context. The main purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of Early Professional Learning acquired by Novice Teachers within the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) phase and the Novice Teacher Induction (NTI) phase in the first employing school. Research literature used in this study has indicated the divides and discontinuities between the world of university and the world of schooling. A systems thinking approach proved useful in helping to understand both the disconnectedness and the connectedness between learning spaces/phases of the university ITE programme and the school’s NTI environment. This research study was located within an interpretative case study design. Six Novice Teacher participants teaching in various schools were purposively selected for this study. All participants had studied for their professional qualification at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. A multiple method approach was used for the generation of data, including semi-structured interviews with each participant, which took place over a period of eighteen months. The process of data gathering and interpretation went through various stages to produce a story portrait of each participant. Using a visual interpretative representation technique in this study was a worthwhile research tool for validation and added another layer of meaning making to understanding EPL. The findings were that the two systems of university and school offered conflicting spaces that impacted on the NTs’ EPL. The university-site offered open protective spaces for learning that were underpinned by conditions of trust, that involved communities of learning, and that encouraged an individual voice. In contradiction, the schools seemed to operate on a deficit approach as they failed to provide useful formalised planned sources (opportunities) for the EPL of NTs. Workplace conditions were categorised by hierarchical power struggles, unhealthy staff conflicts and the lack of socialisation of the NT into the new workplace environment. The absence of and limitations in basic induction practices at a centralised or whole school level nonetheless generated professional agency and autonomy within the NT. Early Professional Learning took the form of personalised- professional learning as the NT-Self emerged as the connecting element within the learning system. The metaphor of the radar monitoring system is presented as a summative illustration of the NT-Self in navigating the EPL system.