THE ROLE OF SCHOOL MANAGEMENT TEAMS IN CURRICULUM …

[Pages:102]THE ROLE OF SCHOOL MANAGEMENT TEAMS IN CURRICULUM CHANGE MANAGEMENT

by NKHANGWELENI FLORENCE NDOU

Submitted in part fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of

MASTER OF EDUCATION in the subject

EDUCATION MANAGEMENT at the

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA

SUPERVISOR:

DR H M VAN DER MERWE

MARCH 2008

Student number: 3520-894-5

DECLARATION I declare that this dissertation of limited scope, entitled "THE ROLE OF SCHOOL MANAGEMENT TEAMS IN CURRICULUM CHANGE MANAGEMENT", is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references.

................................... Signature (Mrs. N F Ndou)

........................................ Date

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the following for their valuable inspiration:

? The Almighty God, for giving me power and courage to start and finish this work. ? The principals and educators who participated in the study via interviews. ? My supervisor, Dr H. M van der Merwe, for her enthusiasm, constant encouragement,

support and inspiration as well as her guidance from the beginning of this work until the end. Without her assistance this work would have never been completed. ? Mr N L. Mudau, for typing the document. ? The Department of Education in the Limpopo Province for allowing me to conduct research in the selected secondary schools in the Tshilamba circuit of the Vhembe District. ? My children, Wofhatwa and Tanya, who inspired me to start this work. ? Messrs Z Nengome, T. J Mathoni and S. R Ravhutsi, for their guidance, support and their persistent desire to know the progress of my work.

i

DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my parents, Josiah and Luvhengo Mphephu.

ii

ABSTRACT The study focused on the role of the school management team in curriculum change management. Apart from a literature review, an empirical investigation based on a qualitative research paradigm involving semi-structured individual and focus group interviews was used to collect data at three secondary schools in the Tshilamba circuit in Limpopo Province. Literature findings revealed that although, in the first place, politically inclined the introduction of Curriculum 2005 was also steered by the socio-economic needs of the country. Empirical findings elicited that although managing curriculum changes was a challenging effort on account of an initial and continuous lack of adequate training, the school management teams of the selected schools were acquainted with significant knowledge and skills on curriculum change management. This pertains to lesson plan management, supporting and monitoring educators, managing the school register and timetable and managing school finances to select teaching and learning resources.

Key terms: School management team, curriculum change process, curriculum implementation, curriculum, change, curriculum change, factors influencing curriculum change, Curriculum 2005, phases in managing curriculum change, the role of educators in the changed curriculum.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgement Dedication Abstract

CHAPTER ONE ORIENTATION TO THE STUDY

1.1 INTRODUCTION 1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

1.2.1 EDUCATION CONDITIONS BEFORE 1994 1.2.2 EDUCATION CONDITIONS AFTER 1994 1.2.3 THE DEMANDS ON SCHOOL MANAGEMENT TEAMS 1.3 MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY 1.4 PROBLEM STATEMENT 1.5 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

1.6.1 LITERATURE REVIEW 1.6.2 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH PARADIGM

1.6.2.1 Research population and sampling 1.6.2.2 Research methods

(a) In-depth individual interviews (b) Semi-structured focus group interviews 1.6.2.3 Data analysis and interpretation 1.6.2.4 Validity and reliability of the research 1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS 1.7.1 SCHOOL MANAGEMENT TEAM 1.7.2 CURRICULUM CHANGE MANAGEMENT

iv

Pages

i ii iii

1 2 2 3 4 6 7 8 8 8 8 10 11 11 12 13 14 15 15 15

1.8 PLANNING OF THE STUDY

16

1.9 SUMMARY

17

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 INTRODUCTION

18

2.2 FACTORS INFLUENCING CURRICULUM CHANGE

19

2.2.1 THE SOCIO-POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT

19

2.2.2 THE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

19

2.2.3 THE TECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT

20

2.3 CURRICULUM CHANGE PROCESS

21

2.3.1 NEED

22

2.3.2 MOBILISATION

23

2.3.3 IMPLEMENTATION

24

2.3.4 INSTITUTIONALISATION

25

2.4 CURRICULUM CHANGE IN POST-APARTHEID SOUTH

AFRICA

27

2.5 CURRICULUM 2005

28

2.5.1 THE ROLE OF THE EDUCATOR IN THE CHANGED CURRICULUM 29

2.5.2 ASSESSMENT IN THE CHANGED CURRICULM

30

2.6 THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHANGED CURRICULUM

31

2.7 PHASES IN MANAGING CURRICULUM CHANGE

32

2.7.1 DIAGNOSIS

32

2.7.2 PLANNING

33

2.7.3 IMPLEMENTATION

34

2.7.4 STABILISATION

36

2.7.5 EVALUATION

37

2.8 THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT TEAM IN

MANAGING CURRICULUM CHANGE

38

2.8.1 MANAGING THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT FOR CURRICULUM

v

CHANGE

39

2.8.2 PROVIDING SOUND PLANNING, TIME MANAGEMENT AND

ORGANISATIONAL SKILLS

40

2.8.3 OFFERING PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE IN TERMS OF

CURRICULUM KNOWLEDGE

41

2.8.4 ENSURING FAITHFUL CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION

41

2.8.5 DRAWING UP THE SCHEMES OF WORK

42

2.8.6 DEVELOPING SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL

STAKEHOLDERS

43

2.8.7 PLANNING AND CONTROL OF RESOURCES

43

2.8.8 DEVELOPING SUPPORT TEAMS, INDIVIDUALS AND THE SELF TO

ENHANCE PERFORMANCE

45

2.8.9 CREATING, MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING EFFECTIVE

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

45

2.8.10 SELECTING AND MAINTAINING TEACHING AND

NON-TEACHING STAFF

46

2.8.11 MAKING CURRICULUM CHANGE A HIGH PRIORITY

47

2.8.12 MANAGEMENT OF GENDER ISSUES

47

2.8.13 MONITORING AND EVALUATING PLANS

48

2.9 CONCLUSION

48

CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 INTRODUCTION

50

3.2 RESEARCH AIMS

50

3.3 RESEARCH DESIGN

51

3.4 DATA COLLECTION METHODS

52

3.4.1 IN-DEPTH INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS

53

3.4.2 SEMI-STRUCTURED FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEWS

53

vi

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download