This small-scale study focused on the experiences of student teachers towards teaching practice in an open and distance learning (ODL) institution in South Africa. The sample consisted of 65 fourth year students enrolled for Bachelor of Education, specializing in secondary school teaching. The mixed-method research design consisting of quantitative and qualitative approaches was used. Questionnaire and individual interview discussions were used as instruments for data collection. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze quantitative data. Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. The study revealed that student teachers experienced challenges with regard to on-time placement in schools, supervision and mentoring. Based on the findings, recommendations were made. Among others was that mentors and university contracted supervisors should be constantly empowered through workshops to work effectively in leading and guiding student teachers. On the issues of placement of students in approved schools, the university should consider implementing a system which will enable students to place themselves online. Placing students in approved schools is a major challenge for the ODL institution in South Africa given the great number of students that have to be placed in schools every year and the slow pace at which the institution is moving to integrate technology in addressing the problem.
Problem Statement: Many schools use induction programmes with the aim of contributing to novice teachers' well-being and professional development. However, the content of induction programmes varies across schools and countries. Given that existing studies do not conclusively establish the programme components with the greatest potential to affect the quality and retention of novice teachers, more research is needed to explore the aspects of induction programmes that are most productive.1 This paper is based on a Master's dissertation titled "Novice teachers' perceptions of schoolbased induction programmes at selected primary schools in Windhoek, Namibia" completed at the University of South Africa in the Department of Educational Leadership and Management under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Sello Mokoena in 2014.
This paper reports the findings of the small-scale study on the effectiveness of participative management (PM) as perceived by parents, learners, teachers, community leaders, members of the school governing body and the principal in one school in the Free State, a province of South Africa. Questionnaires were used to gather data and responses were tabulated using the SPSS. The questionnaires were completed by two hundred and eighty two (282) respondents out of three hundred and twenty (320) issued out, resulting in a response rate of 88.1%. The study examined the correlation between the indicators of PM effectiveness and stakeholders' levels of trust. Findings show that the following indicators of PM effectiveness were significantly related to stakeholders' levels of trust: importance of sub-committee structures, satisfactory composition of the school governing body (SGB), adequacy of information for SGB decision-making, adequacy of time for doing SGB business, SGB influence on teaching and learning, and overall SGB functioning. It is suggested that school leaders wishing to enhance the levels of trust among the stakeholders should consider these indicators of PM effectiveness in carrying out their leadership duties and responsibilities.
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