Theses and Dissertations (ACCE)https://hdl.handle.net/10500/64342024-03-28T18:17:57Z2024-03-28T18:17:57ZPrincipals’ role in addressing unexcused teacher absenteeism in adult learning centres in the Johannesburg South districtMaceke, Ronnie Risimatihttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/305812023-10-23T06:58:43Z2022-06-30T00:00:00ZPrincipals’ role in addressing unexcused teacher absenteeism in adult learning centres in the Johannesburg South district
Maceke, Ronnie Risimati
This study was carried out with the aim of exploring the principals’ role in managing unexcused teacher absenteeism in Adult Community Education and Training (ACET) centres. In order to achieve this, the study investigated the causes of unexcused teacher absenteeism as well as the impact it has on learners, teachers, and the functioning of the ACET Centres. A literature review was carried out in order to understand the position of policy and academic literature on this topic.
The study employed an explorative research design and a qualitative research approach. Semi-structured interviews were used to obtain primary data from twenty-five teachers and five principals selected from five ACET centres. Observations and document reviews were also carried out at the centres. The data was analysed using qualitative content analysis in order to derive themes which formed the basis of a discussion on the objectives.
The educators and principals highlighted sickness, family emergencies and bereavement as the main causes of unexcused absenteeism. The study also showed evidence of gaps in the principals’ and educators’ knowledge of the Leave Policy for Educators, leading to inadequate planning, communication and management. Further evidence suggested that some educators abuse the provisions of the Leave Policy in order to attend to personal business.
The study recommends that in order to combat the challenge of unexcused teacher absenteeism, ACET centres be sufficiently resourced in order to ease the burden on the educators. Furthermore, the department should provide leadership training to equip principals to effectively manage their relationships with educators, create a supportive professional environment for educators, as well as to administer and monitor leave and absenteeism. In addition, the Department should equip educators to understand the Leave Policy for Educators. ACET principals should also take responsibility through providing workshops aimed at educating their staff on the Leave Policy.
2022-06-30T00:00:00ZThe challenges in the professional development of TVET college lecturers in Limpopo Province of South AfricaMosehla, Makgabele Alfredhttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/304972023-09-12T04:32:44Z2023-08-18T00:00:00ZThe challenges in the professional development of TVET college lecturers in Limpopo Province of South Africa
Mosehla, Makgabele Alfred
TVET colleges are an important part of a quality education system that can offer much needed opportunities for school leavers. The main purpose of the study was to explore the professional development state in the Limpopo TVET colleges to establish plans that can be applied to improve the professional development of lecturers at TVET colleges in South Africa in general.
A qualitative research approach and an exploratory research design was used in this study. The interviews analysis with both the college management presented by participants CM1 and CM3 and the teaching staff represented by participants L1, L2, L4, SL1, SL2 and SL3 were deliberated in this chapter. This chapter also addressed the views of college management and teaching staff as backed by literature. Out of ten (10) participants, two (2) participants (CM2 and L3) did not manage to take part in the study. Participant CM2 did not make it due to ill health and participant L3 did not participate due to personal reasons. To obtain primary data from participants to investigate the challenges in the professional development of TVET college lecturers in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, semi-structured interviews was used. Responses from both management and lecturers show that there is a lack of certain skills and knowledge in both management and teaching. Senior management must accept full responsibility in implementing professional development courses to improve standard teaching and learning and must arrange and implement professional development courses to empower their lecturing staff. Lectures need to be empowered on how best they can improve their teaching skills using latest technology. But they acknowledge that through professional development courses by management, teaching skills can improve. The findings reveal that a lot still needs to be done to improve the situation in TVET colleges. That is because even though the management and lecturers agree with professional development to address their challenges, the planning and implementation still need more attention.
The study recommended that for college management to execute their leadership duties more effectively, there is a need to provide rigorous training programmes in terms of the significance and consequences of professional development in the college. The senior management should take up the significance of implementing professional development courses to improve standard teaching and learning. They must arrange and implement professional development courses to empower the lecturing staff. The study also advocated that individual lecturers be anticipated to have detailed understanding of the subjects they are involved in. The study decided that professional development in the Limpopo Province TVET colleges require careful planning and implementation for the advantage of the college, economy, the students, lecturers and the nearby communities.
2023-08-18T00:00:00ZMixed-methods study into the development and progression of young entrepreneurs in Soweto, South AfricaManyi, Stellahttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/304962023-09-11T03:46:46Z2023-02-24T00:00:00ZMixed-methods study into the development and progression of young entrepreneurs in Soweto, South Africa
Manyi, Stella
The objective of this study was to investigate the challenges faced by young entrepreneurs in Soweto when attempting to access funding for their businesses. The research aimed to explore and understand the specific issues and difficulties encountered by these entrepreneurs in their pursuit of financial support for their ventures. By examining these problems, the study aimed to contribute to a better understanding of the funding landscape for young entrepreneurs in Soweto and potentially identify strategies to address these challenges.
Based on the literature on challenges faced by young entrepreneurs in Soweto, a questionnaire was distributed to the young entrepreneurs. Data was collected from a sample size of 49 participants using a questionnaire and focus group interviews. Face-to-face focus group interviews comprised of 6-8 subjects per group to concretize the study's outcome. Collected questionnaire data was analyzed using SurveyMonkey software. After this, themes were developed from the survey and from in-depth focus group interviews. A deductive coding approach was used, which allowed the researcher to focus on a predetermined code using the research objectives.
The analysis of the responses demonstrates that many young entrepreneurs started their businesses out of a push-factor of unemployment. However, a substantial number of young people decided on entrepreneurship as a career of choice.
The greatest obstacle for many young entrepreneurs is getting capital, as most do not meet the criteria for obtaining business loans from banks or government financial institutions due to their socio-economic status. The study found that government rules and regulations are viewed negatively and may not always support young entrepreneurs in the way that was intended. Also, the study identified bottlenecks in the DFIs (Developmental Funding Institutions) funding application processes, including a mismatch between the credit requirements versus required skillsets and collaterals.
On this basis, it is recommended that the NYDA’s (National Youth Development Agency) credit assessment should be pliable and consider the applicant's socio-political background. In addition, there is a need to revisit the required skills and qualification requirements for funding. Government may create a business development hub to nurture young entrepreneurs. Also, tertiary institutions may assist by collaborating with successful young entrepreneurs in order to supplement academic knowledge with current entrepreneurial experiences. Finally, DFIs need to appreciate the NQF (National Qualification Framework) objectives where the principle of equivalence and the integration of skills applies.
2023-02-24T00:00:00ZAn investigation of the effectiveness of technology in open distance learning : a case study of the University of South AfricaMsekelwa, Patrick Zingisahttps://hdl.handle.net/10500/301962023-06-28T07:30:22Z2022-11-30T00:00:00ZAn investigation of the effectiveness of technology in open distance learning : a case study of the University of South Africa
Msekelwa, Patrick Zingisa
Distance education institutions gradually used technology to teach and interact with its diverse student body. University of South Africa (Unisa) has adopted Open Distance and E-learning (ODeL) model to reach students in remote geographical areas. As technology is gaining momentum, the digital divide is a challenge as students experience difficulties in accessing the Internet. The study reviewed the literature from recent sources including books, chapters in books, conference proceedings and journal articles focusing on the effectiveness of technology in ODeL. The study has adopted a qualitative research approach. The study has adopted community of inquiry framework to analyse data gathered from students studying through ODeL. The study used interpretive paradigm which postulates that reality is multi-layered, complex and single phenomenon that can have multiple interpretations. A qualitative research approach with a case study design method was deemed most appropriate for the study; hence, it is holistic in nature. The researcher used purposive sampling strategy to select 12 participants from two Unisa regional offices in the Eastern Cape Province. Semi-structured interviews were used to probe the participants about their perceptions and experiences in using technology. The collected data were analysed using thematic analysis which entails procedure of identifying themes within a qualitative data. The findings indicated that effective use of technology by the students improved communication, students performed better in assignments and did well in examinations and there is high success rate.; Afstandsonderriginstellings het geleidelik tegnologie begin gebruik om onderrig te gee en met hulle diverse studentekorps te kommunikeer. Universiteit van Suid-Afrika (UNISA) het Oopafstand- en E-leer-model (ODeL) aanvaar om studente in afgeleë geografiese gebiede te bereik. Soos tegnologie momentum kry, is die digitale kloof ʼn uitdaging aangesien studente probleme ondervind om toegang tot die internet te verkry. Die studie het die literatuur uit onlangse bronne hersien, wat boeke, hoofstukke in boeke, konferensieverrigtinge en joernaalartikels insluit wat op die doeltreffendheid van tegnologie in ODeL fokus. Die studie het ʼn kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering aanvaar. Die studie het interpretatiewe paradigma gebruik wat postuleer dat die werklikheid ʼn veelvlakkige, komplekse en enkele verskynsel is wat veelvuldige interpretasies kan hê. ʼn Kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering met ʼn gevallestudie-ontwerpmetode is as die geskikste vir dié studie geag; daarom is dit holisties van aard. Die navorser het ʼn doelgerigte steekproefnemingstrategie gebruik om 12 deelnemers uit twee UNISA-streekkantore in die Oos-Kaapprovinsie te kies. Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gebruik om die deelnemers te ondervra oor hul persepsies en ervaring in die gebruik van tegnologie. Die versamelde data is ontleed met behulp van tematiese analise wat prosedures behels wat temas in kwalitatiewe data identifiseer. Die bevindinge het aangedui dat effektiewe gebruik van tegnologie deur die studente kommunikasie verbeter het, studente het beter presteer in werkopdragte en goed gevaar in eksamens, en daar is ʼn hoë suksessyfer.; Amaziko Emfundo Yakude athe chu ukusebenzisa ubuxhakaxhaka bokufundisa nokunxibelelana nabafundi bawo abaziintlobo ngeentlobo. IDyunivesithi yoMzantsi Afrika (Unisa) isebenzisa indlela yokufunda kude nge-Intanethi ebizwa nge-Opheni Disistentsi andi E-leningi (ODeL) ukufikelela kubafundi abakwimimandla ethe qelele. Njengoko kusenyuka ukusetyenziswa kobuxhakaxhaka, iyantlukwano ngobugcisa bobuxhakaxhaka ngumceli mngeni kubafundi kuba kunzima ukungena kwi-Intanethi. Olu phando luye lwaphonononga uncwadi kwimithombo yolwazi yamva nje, efana neencwadi, izahluko ezithile kwiincwadi, iingxoxo zeenkomfa kunye neengxelo zamanqaku apapashiweyo ezijolise kwimpumelelo yokusebenza kobuxhakaxhaka kwi-ODeL. Olu phando lusebenzise indlela yokuqokelela ulwazi ngqo kubathathi-nxaxheba. Kwakhona uphando lusekelwe kwindlela yemfuna-lwazi ejolise kuluntu oluphandwayo, ukuhlalutya ulwazi oluqokelelwe kubafundi abafunda nge-ODeL. Olu phando lusebenzise umzekeliso wokuxela ulwazi onebango lokuba ubukho bento okanye ubunyaniso yinto eneenkalo ezininzi, entsokothileyo enokuthi itolikwe ngeendlela ezohlukeneyo. Indlela yokufuna ulwazi ngqo kubathathi-nxaxheba iyilwe ngokujonga umzekelo othile yaye ibonakale iyeyona ndlela efanele olu phando; njengoko, imo yayo igqibelele. Umphandi uye wasebenzisa iqhinga elijolise ukufumana abathathi-nxaxheba abali-12 abakule meko ngqo besuka kwii-ofisi ezimbini zase-Unisa ezikwiPhondo laseMpuma Koloni. Kuqhutywe iingxoxo nabathathi-nxaxheba ngendlela ebuza imibuzo evalekile naleyo engena nzulu ukuveza izimvo kunye namava abo okusebenzisa ubuxhakaxhaka. Ulwazi oluqokelelweyo luye lwahlalutywa ngokujonga imixholo esisikhokelo senkqubo yokuchonga imixholo equlathwe kwiinkcukacha eziqokelelweyo. Iziphumo zibonisa impumelelo ekusetyenzisweni kobuxhakaxhaka ngabafundi ngoba luye lwaphucuka unxibelelwano, abafundi baye basebenza ngcono kwizifundo zabo nakwiimviwo zabo, kwaye izinga lempumelelo liyancomeka.
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