| Summary: | Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003. === 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. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Eise vir kwaliteit opvoeding in die beweging na inklusiewe opvoeding stel uitdagings aan
opvoederondersteuning om opvoedingsveranderinge in Suid-Afrika te fasiliteer. Die
voorgestelde skakel tussen effektiewe opvoedingstransformasie en die verstaan en bestuur
van verandering het by dié navorser die begeerte aangewakker om 'n indiensopvoeding- en
-opleidingsprogram vir opvoeders te ontwikkel binne die konsep van heelskoolontwikkeling.
So 'n program sou die gelyktydige ontwikkeling van die individu se bevoegdheid en van die
skool as organisasie kon verseker.
Die eerste fase van die studie het die ontwikkeling van 'n spesifieke indiensondersteuningsprogram
vir opvoeders behels wat daarop gemik is om die geïdentifiseerde
behoeftes van 'n spesifieke teikengroep opvoeders aan te spreek om
opvoedingstransformasie binne 'n inklusiewe omgewing te fasiliteer. Die primêre fokus van
die studie was die ontwikkeling van opvoedersbevoegdhede wat opvoeders sou help om
opvoedkundige veranderinge te hanteer deur middel van die vestiging van skoolgebaseerde
ondersteuningspanne. Die inhoud is gebaseer op 'n omvattende oorsig van die literatuur oor
individuele en institusionele ontwikkeling. Dit is byeengebring in vier modules (Module een:
verandering, oorgang, hersiening en verduideliking van visie en missie; Module twee:
leierskap, spanwerk en ondersteuning; Module drie: organisatoriese verandering, die
leerorganisasie en organisatoriese kultuur; Module vier: aanwending).
In die tweede fase is 'n evalueringsnavorsingsontwerp gebruik om 'n omvattende evaluering
van die program uit te voer met die doelom oordele te vel (vanuit 'n rekenskapgewende
perspektief) om programverbetering te fasiliteer (vanuit 'n ontwikkelingsperspektief) en om
kennnis te genereer (vanuit die perspektief van akademiese waarde). Die program is in tien
sessies van drie uur elk oor 'n periode van sewe maande aangebied. Gedurende en na
hierdie periode is kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data verkry en gekombineer om data van
hoër gehalte vir die identifisering van uitkomste te verseker. 'n Interpretatiewe weergawe van
inhoudsanalise is aangewend om patrone te identifiseer waaruit subkategorieë, kategorieë
en 'n hooftema saamgestel is.
Die program het daarin geslaag om die hoofdoel te bereik, naamlik om die totstandbring van
skoolgebaseerde ondersteuningspanne te fasiliteer: 95% van die skole wat aan die program
deelgeneem het, het skoolgebaseerde ondersteuningspanne begin. Die program het ook
bygedra tot die ontwikkeling van persoonlike en professionele bekwaamheid in opvoeders
wat hulle gehelp het om opvoedkundige verandering te hanteer. Deelnemers het
beduidende positiewe veranderinge in hul eie denke en persepsies ondervind rakende
inklusiewe opvoeding, opvoedkundige verandering, ondersteuning en spanwerk. Hulle het verstaan waarom hulle moes verander, en het 'n beter begrip ontwikkel ten opsigte van die
hantering van die uitwerking van verandering. Uit die geïdentifiseerde patrone is
subkategorieë van persoonlike, professionele en skoolontwikkeling saamgestel. Verandering
het as die oorkoepelende hooftema te voorskyn gekom. Ingebed hierin was die rolle van die
fasiliteerder en van transformatiewe leer.
Die navorsingsbevindinge bevestig dat die probleem op toepaslike wyse gekonseptualiseer
is en dat die ontwerp van die program die deelnemers se behoeftes op gepaste wyse
aangespreek het. Respondente het gerapporteer dat hulle oor meer kennis beskik en
vaardiger is en dat hulle positiewe veranderinge in hul houdinge ervaar het. Hierdie
persoonlike veranderinge het bygedra tot beter opvoedkundige dienslewering en verbeterde
skole.
Hierdie studie het aangetoon dat opvoeders die nodige ondersteuning kan kry om
opvoedkundige verandering te kan hanteer deur middel van 'n indiensondersteuningsprogram
wat behoeftegedrewe is en wat terselfdertyd fokus op individuele en
organisatoriese ontwikkeling.
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