Doctoral Degrees (Education Policy Studies)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Education Policy Studies) by Author "Campher, Elsie J"

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    Educational change : a support programme for educators in an inclusive school setting
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2003-12) Campher, Elsie J; Engelbrecht, P.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the movement towards inclusive education, demands that quality education for all present challenges for educator support to facilitate educational change in South Africa. The proposed link between effective educational transformation and understanding and managing change stimulated the researcher's desire to develop an in-service education and training programme for educators within the concept of whole school development. Such a programme could ensure the simultaneous development of competence of the individual and the school as an organisation. The first phase of this study comprised the development of a particular in-service educator support programme aimed at addressing the identified needs of a specific target group of educators to facilitate educational transformation within an inclusive setting. The primary focus of the study was the development of educator competencies that would help educators cope with educational change by means of the establishment of school-based support teams. The content was based on a comprehensive overview of the literature on individual and institutional development as well as change. This was synthesized into four modules (Module one: change, transition, reviewing and clarifying vision and mission; Module two: leadership, teamwork and support; Module three; organisational change, the learning organisation and organisational culture; Module four: application). In the second phase an evaluation research design was used to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the programme in order to make judgements (from an accountability perspective) to facilitate programme improvement (from a development perspective) and to generate knowledge (from the perspective of academic value). The programme was presented in ten sessions of three hours each over a period of seven months during and after which qualitative and quantitative data was obtained and combined to ensure higher quality data for the identification of outcomes. An interpretive version of content analysis was applied for the identification of patterns from which subcategories, categories and a main theme was constructed. The programme succeeded in achieving the primary objective of facilitating the establishment of school-based support teams: 95% of the schools that participated in the programme established school-based support teams. It also contributed to the development of personal and professional competency in educators that helped them cope with educational change. Participants experienced significant positive changes in their own thinking and perceptions regarding inclusive education, educational change, support and teamwork. They understood why they needed to change, and developed a better understanding of how to deal with the effects of change. From the patterns identified, the sub-categories of personal, professional and school development were constructed. Change emerged as the overarching main theme. Embedded within this were the roles of the facilitator and of transformative learning. The research flndinqs confirmed that the problem was appropriately conceptualised and that the design of the programme adequately addressed the needs of the participants. Respondents reported that they were more knowledgeable and skilful, and that they had experienced positive changes in their attitudes. These personal changes contributed to better educational service delivery and improved schools. This study demonstrated that educators can be given the support they need to cope with educational change through an in-service support programme which is needs driven and which focuses simultaneously on individual and organisational development.