Argues that a social constructivist perspective can inform the design of professional development programs for teachers, using as an example a South African training program in technology use for science teachers. The report includes the comments of teachers in the program. (MSE)

Examines racial/ethnic and gender patterns of educational, occupational, and income attainment in Israel and South Africa in the early 1980s, with reference to four theoretical perspectives on how educational expansion affects subordinate groups. Concludes that occupational and income equity are not increased by educational expansion alone, but…

Describes development of an Experimental Astronomy Curriculum or Thinking Journey, based on a combination of Constructivism and Mediated Learning Experience. Results indicated the effectiveness of the Thinking Journey in promoting a process of positive change in the students' conceptualization of Earth, improving their knowledge of astronomy,…

Examines the relationships among social status, proximate family settings, student responsibility for school outcomes, and self-concepts of 460 South African high school students. Reports that social status, family settings, and student responsibility had modest to strong associations with self-concept development including gender-related…

The author qualitatively examined adult learners' experiences on a study tour to South Africa and assessed the effectiveness of the tour as a tool for enhanced multicultural awareness. The findings may be of interest to counselors/educators who teach about multicultural issues or wish to enhance their personal growth in multiculturalism.

This article reflects on experiences of attempting to infuse human rights in the South African Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS). Using our experiences as members of Human Rights and Inclusivity Group (HRIWG), one of the curriculum development structures set up for the RNCS, and focusing particularly on the Learning Area of Mathematics,…

An entirely different approach is needed regarding the way in which troubled learners are perceived and approached. The removal of traditional punitive methods has left many educators unequipped for youth showing destructive behavior. This article reviews the shift towards a restorative approach within education in the Western Cape, South Africa.…

The department of geography and environmental studies of the University of South Africa recently played a pivotal role in implementing an inter- and multidisciplinary undergraduate programme in environmental management. This programme prepares students for entry-level occupations, and equips them with the knowledge, skills and values needed to…

All educators should reflect on and assess the quality of their teaching and their learning programmes. Such reflection is the subject of this article. The focus is on higher education (HE) with particular emphasis on distance learning institutions. A particular educational programme is considered, namely a course-work Master's degree in…

Since 1998, the "Learnership" model of workplace training has been promoted in South Africa as a creative vehicle for addressing high unemployment rates and a serious skills shortage. This is achieved through fast-tracking the acquisition of skills and increasing a learner's chances of employment. However, because learnerships are a…

In the light of many changes taking place in higher education, it is often problematic to align the theoretical pronouncements with their application on the ground. This article is based on a study that tracked steps taken by educators to introduce portfolio assessment in an institution of higher learning. A phenomenographic research method was…

This report describes the development of a community-based service for the implementation of augmentative and alternative communication strategies with regard to children with severe disabilities in South Africa. The intervention process was developed by the Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication of the University of Pretoria. The…

This paper discusses a faculty development program for new faculty at the M L Sultan Technikon in Durban, South Africa, especially as it relates to faculty development programs at other South African institutions. This associate lecturer training program was designed to provide support and training for newly appointed black faculty who did not…

It is the right and responsibility of every community to take charge of the provision of preschool educare for its children. Many dispossessed communities in South Africa have lacked the skills necessary to organize and manage educare projects and schools. Many current educare projects are often completely or partially controlled by organizations…

The United States influenced the origins, elaboration, and implementation of the politics of knowledge between social science and policy in the South African National Bureau for Educational and Social Research. Divided into six sections, the historical analysis of the Bureau: (1) examined the context within which the Bureau emerged, the origins of…