Governing bodies' perspectives on a culture of teaching and learning
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Date
1998
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Abstract
This study involves an investigation of governing bodies' perspectives on a culture of teaching and learning. An attempt was made to determine if governing bodies are adequately trained to play a meaningful role in the re-establishment of a culture of teaching and learning at schools.
The literature study discloses that education in South Africa is going through a crisis. It is common knowledge that the culture of teaching and learning has almost disappeared in its entirety in many schools. Schools are characterised by an anti-academic attitude by teachers as well as pupils. Many parents seem to be helpless when confronted with problems related to their children's schooling. Their only hope rests in governing bodies' and principals' initiatives to re-establish a culture of teaching and learning. Governing bodies and principals therefore have a vital role to play in creating a culture of teaching and learning. In the interest of the education of children, they need to work in concert with each other. Their working together is a collaborative act, marked by cooperation and support for each other.
The investigation proved that governing bodies have not been adequately trained to deal with problems associated with the culture of teaching and learning. Despite the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No.84 of 1996) ushering in a new era of parental involvement in school governance, parents were not systematically empowered to deal with their new responsibilities. The failure of the Department of Education to embark on a meaningful capacity-building programme for school governors has inhibited governing bodies' contribution towards education.
For the purpose of the empirical investigation a self-structured questionnaire for parent governors was utilised. The questionnaires that were completed by parent governors were analysed and thereafter the data that was obtained was processed and analysed. This study has confirmed that governing bodies were not adequately trained to play a meaningful role in the re-establishment of a culture of teaching and learning at schools.
In addition to the empirical survey, personal interviews with members of governing bodies were conducted.
In conclusion a summary was presented and based on the findings of this study, the following are some of the recommendations that were made:
* All governing bodies should develop and enforce a code of conduct which will provide a set of guidelines to regulate the behaviour of pupils so that a disciplined and purposeful environment is established at schools to facilitate effective teaching and learning.
* All teachers should be governed by a code of conduct that will prohibit unprofessional behaviour.
* Governing bodies should offer incentives to principals and teachers who introduce innovative ideas and methods to promote the culture of teaching and learning.
* Through structured education programmes governing bodies must prepare parents to assume responsibility for the education of their children.
Description
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR of EDUCATION in the department of Educational Psychology in the FACULTY OF EDUCATION at the UNlVERSITY OF ZULULAND, 1998.
Keywords
Culture--Study and teaching., Culture of teaching and learning, School governing body