Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'National Qualifications Framework (NQF)'

This study deals with the extent to which the South African education and training system reflects in principle, perception and practice, the ideal of an integrated national qualifications framework. It examines the uses and meaning of ‘integration’ through a number of lenses. These lenses include policy symbolism and a guiding philosophy for the emerging system; pragmatic and technical considerations; communities of practice; the complementarity of education and training; and curricular integration. In relation to the first two lenses, it is evident that an integrated framework is a powerful symbol of the break from a past system characterised by inequality, unfairness and deliberate mediocrity, to the extent that ‘integration’ has become the underpinning guiding philosophy for a new education and training system. However, such socio-political aspirations tend to place unreasonable demands on the system. The second set of lenses indicate that the ‘comprehensiveness’ of the system could work against the notion of integration, and in South Africa, has led to acute paralysis of the system. The strongest evidence of integration emerges from the last set of lenses namely, the grounded, meaningful practice through principled partnerships, as reflected in the development of sub-frameworks and communities of practice and the necessary collaboration needed for curricular integration and education and training delivery. Thus, it seems, to make integration meaningful, the persuasive logic of innovative, grounded practice, could be enabled and facilitated by less, not more, regulation and could be enhanced by structures that reflect the grounded practice. Copyright 2006, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Blom, JP 2006, The ideal of an integrated national qualifications framework, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-06192007-123414 / >
Thesis (PhD (Education Management and Policy Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2007.
Education Management and Policy Studies
unrestricted

Master Education - Med
Skills development is essential for every country to keep abreast with, at least one aspect of globalisation, namely, changes regarding production in the modern world. The way in which each country implements its skills development programme will depend on the unique history and circumstances of that country. Germany and Japan are amongst those countries that opted for a high skills strategy, whilst the United Kingdom opted for a low skills strategy. Kraak (2005) argues that South Africa would benefit by implementing a ‘multi-pronged’ skills strategy because many of its citizens are unskilled or have very low skills. This approach would cater for lowskills, intermediate-skills and continue to develop high skills. South Africa’s inputs-based education and training system has been replaced by a controversial outcomes-based approach. Many authors view an outcomes-based programme as lacking theory or content (Kraak, 1998; Young, 2004; Brown & Keep, 2000; Boreham, 2002), as reductive and mechanistic (Bates & Dutson, 1995, in Boreham, 2002) and mainly work-based and assessment-driven (Boreham, 2002). These criticisms question the quality of outcomes-based programmes. New laws promulgated by the South African government have introduced learnerships that form part of this new Skills Development strategy. This study reviewed the general policy on skills development and explored the experiences of learners who completed a Wholesale and Retail Learnership in the context of the structured college-based learning, the practical work-based learning as well as the integration of theory and practice, in South Africa. A qualitative approach was selected to enhance the researcher’s understanding of the personal perspectives and experiences of learners who completed the learnership. The case study approach was used with a focus on analysing the subjective opinions of this group of learners. The research methods employed to clarify the understanding of how these learners experienced the learnership were semi-structured interviews, observations and analysis of documents. The research shows that South Africa’s multi-level National Qualifications Framework provides for academic as well as vocational training and promotes a ‘multi-pronged’ skills strategy. The findings suggest that the learners on this learnership experienced the theoretical learning in the college and the practical learning on the job as an integrated whole. The study concludes that the structured college-based learning enabled the learners on this learnership to implement what they learnt at college in the workplace.
South Africa

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the NQF on higher education institutions focussing specifically on access, teaching and learning. The study aimed to answer the following research questions: What was the impact of the NQF on increasing access to higher education? In particular how did the RPL process facilitate access into the University of Pretoria? Secondly, how did the NQF influence the processes of teaching and learning at this particular institution? And finally, why did the NQF have differential impacts on different faculties within the same higher education institution? To gain the end-users’ perspective, a case study of the University of Pretoria was conducted. Data was gathered using interviews with ten senior members of staff at the university working in nine different departments, and student records indicating admissions through RPL into the University of Pretoria as well as relevant institutional documents. The findings suggest that the impact of the NQF on access, teaching and learning differed across departments, resulting in a partial implementation of the policy. This was facilitated by factors inherent in the policy itself and factors inherent to the institution. The influence of external factors such as professional bodies on teaching and learning practices of end-users at the University of Pretoria posed a major challenge against NQF implementation. The motivations leading to NQF implementation are not directly linked to the NQF policy per se, although they resulted in portraying the extent of change to access, teaching and learning along a continuum that distinguished between departments that ‘blindly complied’, that selectively adapted and those that strategically avoided implementation of the policy. Indications for further research are that a wider look at the impact of the NQF on access, teaching and learning in higher education is less revealing than a more focussed investigation. Future research should zoom-in on individual departments within higher education institutions to reveal the deeper and more nuanced impact of the NQF.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om die impak van die NKR (NQF) op veral toegang, onderrig en leer in hoër onderwysinstellings te ondersoek. Die studie poog om die volgende navorsingsvrae te beantwoord: Watter impak het die NKR op toenemende toegang tot hoër onderwys? Hoe fasiliteer die EVL-proses ("RPL process") toegang tot die Universiteit van Pretoria? Hoe beïnvloed die NKR die onderrig- en leerproses aan hierdie spesifieke instelling? Ten slotte, waarom het die NKR 'n differensiële invloed op verskillende fakulteite binne dieselfde hoër onderwysinstelling? Ten einde die uiteindelike gebruiker se perspektief te bepaal, is 'n gevallestudie aan die Universiteit van Pretoria uitgevoer. Data is ingesamel uit onderhoude met tien senior personeellede wat in nege verskillende departemente werk, studenterekords aangaande toelating tot die Universiteit van Pretoria deur EVL, en ook relevante institutêre dokumente. Die bevindinge impliseer dat die impak van die NKR op toegang, onderrig en leer van departement tot departement verskil en dat dit lei tot 'n gedeeltelike implementering van die beleid. Dié verskil is aangehelp deur faktore wat inherent is aan die beleid, maar ook faktore inherent aan die instelling. Die invloed wat eksterne faktore soos professionele liggame op die onderrig- en leerpraktyke van finale gebruikers aan die Universiteit van Pretoria het, is 'n groot struikelblok vir die implementering van die NKR. Motiverings wat lei tot die implementering van die NKR is nie noodwendig aan die NKR-beleid gekoppel nie, alhoewel dit daartoe gelei het dat die mate van verandering in toegang, onderrig en leer op 'n kontinuum aangedui is. Hierdie kontinuum onderskei tussen departemente wat die beleid "blindelings navolg", ander wat dit selektief aanpas en nog ander wat die implementering van die beleid strategies vermy. Aanduidings vir verdere navorsing is dat 'n breë ondersoek van die NKR se impak op toegang, onderrig en leer in hoër onderwys minder beduidend is as 'n meer spesifieke ondersoek. Toekomstige navorsing behoort te fokus op individuele departemente binne hoër onderwysinstellings ten einde 'n indringender en meer genuanseerde impak van die NKR te bepaal.

In this study the role of the educational publisher as an information intermediary is considered. The focus is on the developmental role of the publisher, against the background of the information age the world is entering today. The publishing industry is regarded as both a vehicle for and the product of development, which entails a twofold responsibility: the development of society in general and the development of the industry in particular. This study highlights the role of the publisher in the development of society, and it is argued that the recent changes in the education system and the language policy potentially offer a great challenge to educational publishers in South Africa to help create suitable educational material in order to facilitate the successful implementation of the new curriculum, thereby contributing to the development of South African society as a whole. However, developments since 1994, when the new political dispensation came into effect, have practically halted the development input of publishers in the new education system and created a severe crisis for the educational publishing industry.
Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2012.
Information Science
unrestricted

The introduction of the National Qualifications Framework and the associated assessment against Physics Unit Standards represents a major paradigm shift in senior secondary school assessment. The trend away from norm-referenced external national exams towards internal standards-based assessment has significant implications for curriculum delivery, student learning and assessment and moderation practices. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority claims that the National Qualifications Framework is a technically sound and publicly acceptable alternative to the established system. Moderation is a key plank of the Framework which aims to establish and maintain national consistency of assessment across different providers, improve assessment practices, assist in the development of assessor expertise and establish public confidence in the new qualifications. Critics have expressed doubts that the perceived national consistency and public confidence in national examinations may be lacking in internal assessment against Unit Standards. The Post Primary Teachers' Association has expressed concern that the workload associated with the assessment, reassessment and administration of Unit Standards will adversely affect the quality of curriculum delivery and student learning. The present research is an attempt to evaluate these claims and counterclaims. In this thesis the assessment and moderation of the Physics Unit Standards is used as a context to answer the question: Is assessment against the Physics Unit Standards a valid, reliable and manageable way of assessing the achievement objectives of Physics in the New Zealand curriculum? A range of qualitative and quantitative techniques was employed to monitor the quality assurance of assessment and moderation of the physics Unit Standards over a three-year period and describe its impact on teachers and students. The research established that assessment against the Physics Unit Standards was generally valid but that doubts remain about its suitability to assess conceptual learning, the micro-definition of learning outcomes and the lack of recognition of different levels of achievement. The moderation action plan was found to be effective in establishing and maintaining satisfactory comparability between schools. After the initial implementation period the workload was manageable for teachers but concerns remained about dual assessment and excessive administrative requirements. Teachers felt that the resources provided by the NZQA were generally adequate. The research identified a number of areas for improving the quality of assessment against the Level 2 Physics Unit Standards. Chief recommendations related to the incorporation of higher level skills, a broadening of the performance criteria, the recognition of levels of achievement including excellence, the elimination of dual assessment and a reduction in the amount of assessment.

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The provision of housing in South Africa is a national priority. As many of the aspirant homeowners are first-time homeowners, they are not necessarily informed about the pitfalls of home ownership. From April 1994 till March 2000 the Department of Housing approved more than 1,1 million housing subsidies. The recipients of these subsidies were first-time homeowners that did not possess the necessary knowledge and skills to make informed and responsible housing-related decisions, thus making them vulnerable to exploitation and creating complex problems that hamper the housing delivery process. The release of the National Housing Code during March 2000 announced that the South African Government had harnessed seven strategies that were aimed at providing housing to a growing low-income market that already exceeded two-and-a-half million households. Although the Government has attempted short-term solutions aimed at equipping these housing consumers with the necessary knowledge and skills to make informed and responsible housing-related decisions, initial research pointed to the need for a sustainable long-term solution in the form of education and training of the housing consumer. The aim of this research was three-fold: Firstly, to determine the knowledge and skills required by the housing consumer to be able to make informed and responsible housingrelated decisions. Secondly, to determine the status of housing education and training in the present primary and secondary school curriculums. Thirdly, to develop an outcomesbased model that would facilitate the inclusion of the identified and refined housing education and training content into the General Education and Training (GET) Band of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). A culturally diverse group of educators and practitioners participated in four national structured group meetings that were facilitated using the Nominal Group Technique (NGT). The aim of these meetings was to identify the knowledge and skills required by consumers to be able to make informed and responsible housing-related decisions. Sixteen housing education and training core concepts could be isolated using the responses generated during the meetings, namely: "Basic Housing Technology" (BHT), "Community" (COMM), "Cultural Aspects of Housing" (CAH), "Environment" (ENV), "Financial Aspects of Housing" (FAR), "Housing Consumerism" (HC), "Housing Design and Decoration" (HDD), "Housing Market" (HM), "Housing Needs" (HN), "Housing Policy" (HP), "Legal Aspects of Housing" (LAH), "Resource Management" (RM), "Role- Players in Housing" (RP), "Sources of Housing Information" (SRI), "Tenure Options" (TO) and "Types of Housing" (TH). The document analysis performed in the second phase of the research, revealed the paucity of housing education and training core concepts in the current curriculum of the GET and Further Education and Training (FET) Bands of the NQF. Housing education and training core concepts occurred in only 50% of the 318 core subject curriculums. Of the housing education and training core concepts that were present in these documents, less than 40% were rated as "relevant" and could therefore be used for housing education and training of the learners. An outcomes-based model was developed that can be used to facilitate the inclusion of the housing education and training content into the Foundation, Intermediate and Senior Phases of the GET Band using the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes, Learning Areas, Specific Outcomes, Assessment Criteria, Performance Indicators, Phase and Programme Organisers, currently included in the new curriculum. Outcomes were then developed that reflected the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values embedded in the sixteen housing education and training core concepts. The mastering of these 57 outcomes will reduce the ignorance of first time homeowners during the housing process and provide a sustainable, long-term solution to these problems .
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Behuisingsvoorsiening is 'n nasionale prioriteit in Suid-Afrika. Aangesien baie van die aspirant huiseienaars, eerstemaal-huiseienaars is, is hulle nie altyd bewus van die slaggate van huiseienaarskap nie. Vanaf April 1994 tot Maart 2000 het die Departement van Behuising meer as 1,1 miljoen behuisingsubsidies goedgekeur. Die ontvangers van hierdie behuisingsubsidies was eerstemaal-huiseienaars, en het nie die kennis en vaardigdhede besit wat benodig word om ingeligte en verantwoordelike behuisingsbesluite te neem nie. Daarom kan hulle blootgestel word aan uitbuiting, en is komplekse probleme veroorsaak wat die behuisingsvoorsieningsproses negatief beinvloed. Die vrystelling van die Nasionale Behuisingskode gedurende Maart 2000 het aangetoon dat die Suid-Afrikaanse Regering sewe strategiee sou gebruik om behuising aan die groeiende lae-inkomste behuisingsmark te voorsien, wat alreeds twee-en-'n-half miljoen huishoudings behels het. Die Regering het al korttermyn oplossings op die proef gestel wat daarop gemik is om behuisingsverbruikers met die nodige kennis en vaardigdhede toe te rus om ingeligte en verantwoordelike behuisingsbesluite te neem. Verkennende navorsing het getoon dat daar steeds 'n behoefte bestaan aan 'n langtermyn, volhoubare oplossing in die vorm van opvoeding en opleiding van die behuisingsverbruiker. Die doel van hierdie navorsing was drie-voudig: Eerstens, om te bepaal watter kennis en vaardighede die behuisingsverbruiker benodig om ingeligte en verantwoordelike behuisingsbesluite te kan maak. Tweedens, om die stand van behuisingsinhoud in die huidige primere- en sekondere skoolsillabus te ondersoek. Derdens, om 'n uitkomsgerigte model te ontwikkel wat die insluiting van die geidentifiseerde en verfynde behuisingsinhoud in die Algemene Onderwysvlak (AOV) van die Nasionale Kurrikulum Raamwerk (NKR) sal bewerkstellig. 'n Kultureel diverse groep, wat bestaan het uit opvoeders en behuisingspraktisyns, het deelgeneem aan vier nasionale gestruktureerde fokusgroeponderhoude wat deur middel van die Nominale Groeptegniek (NGT) gefasiliteer is. Die doel van hierdie onderhoude was om vaardigdhede wat deur die verbruiker benodig word om ingeligte en verantwoordelike behuisingsbesluite te neem, te identifiseer. Die inligting wat tydens hierdie fokusgroeponderhoude ingewin is, is gebruik om sestien kembehuisingskonsepte te identifiseer, naamlik "Basic Housing Technology" (BHT), "Community" (COMM), "Cultural Aspects of Housing" (CAH), "Environment" (ENV), "Financial Aspects of Housing" (FAH), "Housing Consumerism" (HC), "Housing Design and Decoration" (HDD), "Housing Market" (HM), "Housing needs" (HN), "Housing Policy" (HP), "Legal Aspects of Housing" (LAH), "Resource Management" (RM), "Role-players in Housing" (RP), "Sources of Housing Information" (SID), "Tenure Options" (TO) en "Types of Housing" (TH). Die dokumentanalise in die tweede fase van die navorsing, het die huidige, gebrekkige behuisingsopvoedingskomponent van die 'kemvakkurrikulums van laer- en hoerskole uitgewys. Slegs 50% van die 318 kemvakkurrikulums het behuisingskonsepte bevat. Minder as 40% van die behuisingskonsepte wat wel in hierdie kurrikulums verskyn het, is as "relevant" geevalueer, en kon dus gebruik word vir die behuisingsopvoeding van die leerders. 'n Model wat voldoen aan die vereistes van uitkomsgebaseerde onderwysmodelle is ontwikkel om die insluiting van hierdie behuingsinhoud in die Grondslag-, Intermediere >- en Senior Fases van die AOV te bewerkstellig. Daar is gebruik gemaak van bestaande kurrikulumkonstrulcte van Kurrikulum 2005. Uitkomste is ontwikkel wat die kennis, vaardigdhede, houdings en waardes, ingesluit in die kernkonsepte, weerspieel. Die '. bemeestering van hierdie 57 uitkomste, sal die onkunde van eerstemaal-huiseienaars gedurende die behuisingsproses verminder, asook 'n volhoubare, langtermyn oplossing vir hierdie probleme daarstel.

This thesis is located within recent debates and controversies concerning the relationship between schooling and the labour market. It assesses the contribution made by the State through the National Qualifications Framework in helping poorly qualified, male school-leavers make efficient school-to-work transitions. To explore this issue the study draws on data generated in semi-structured interviews conducted with: 23 male, senior secondary school students and their parents; a selection of educators in secondary schools and private training establishments; and senior officials from Skill New Zealand. By comparing and contrasting the school-to-work transitions of the students with those of their fathers, it is shown that social networks formerly provided poorly qualified, male school students with a way to make efficient school-to-work transitions. However, economic changes of the last two decades have reduced demand in the labour market for semi-skilled and unskilled, male workers, and led to a growing number of poorly qualified, male students remaining in education as "discouraged workers". The emergence of the "discouraged worker effect", as it is referred to in the literature, suggests that the value of social networks has decreased. This decrease is problematic for the State because it has raised debate about the legitimacy of the State education system. It also suggests that traditional ways of organising schooling and structuring school-to-work transitions are no longer effective. In this context it is argued that the National Qualifications Framework is an intervention designed by the State to replace those functions previously performed by social networks. This thesis shows that the attempt to replicate these functions has increased levels of state intervention and that social networks have become commodified.

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych)
Knowledge-based competition within a globalising economy is prompting a fresh consideration of the role of higher education in development and growth. Previously, it was often viewed as an expensive and inefficient public service that largely benefited the wealthy and privileged. It is now understood to make a necessary contribution to the success of national efforts to boost productivity, competitiveness and economic growth. Several governments see universities as engines for change and expansion of prosperity. There is also an increasing recognition that Higher Education has become dominated by a market-driven, consumerist service ethic and that this may have an impact on the style of research output and research supervision that academics adopt for a new knowledge economy. Research education or training, as it is often termed, is attracting greater scrutiny as research itself is seen of greater importance in the global knowledge economy. Students in post-graduation degree programmes across the world conduct research projects as a requirement to complete degrees A thesis or dissertation develops the ability to work independently and critically, the ability to develop arguments, and awareness and use of advanced methodological designs that pertain to the student's discipline of study. Thus such learning is argued to be facilitated in the context of research advisement or supervision. Through this process the student might adopt or internalise values and attitudes of the supervisor regarding research. This process is referred to as internalisation of the research supervisor, thereby contributing to the development of the student researchers. The theoretical framework chosen for this study was social constructionism. The aim of this present study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of students in relation to the internalisation of the supervisor that may take place during research supervision. The study utilised in-depth semi-structured interviews to collect data. Eleven participants from various supervisors consented to be part of the study. These were recruited using purposive sampling. The ethics considerations of the study adhered to the guidelines stipulated by Ethics committee of the University. Data was transcribed, and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings of this study indicate factors contributing to internalisation vary depending on aspects such as personalities of both the supervisor and the student, perceived quality of supervision and the supervision process itself. Findings also suggest that internalisation, whether positive or negative, of the research supervisor took place among the participants.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research was to identify staff development needs of teacher educators in the Northern Province regarding the implementation of the National Qualifications Framework. It also aimed at providing guidelines for staff development that could be used to meet the identified needs. In order to achieve this purpose, the researcher consulted both primary and secondary sources to gather information on the topic, that could also provide background for the construction of data collecting instruments, which are the interview and the questionnaire. According to the literature research, South African teacher education is facing a lot of changes. Government, industry and education community is concerned about the state of teacher education, and have been involved in various initiatives to improve its quality. The introduction of the NQF is an attempt to improve the quality of education and training. It shed new light on concept concepts like qualifications, curriculum design and development, quality of education, assessment of the work of learners and the governance of national qualifications. It also introduced new perspective on concepts like the phases of education, quality assurance, allocation of credits and outcomes. Staff development is mentioned as a strategy that can be used to implement the changes that the NQF came with. Factors that can support or hinder the implementation of the change are highlighted through models. The models are explained and their relevance to the study are interpreted. Methods and strategies for staff development are also mentioned. The methodology used to collect data, and the processes of analysis and interpretation of data are also outlined. The interviews showed that colleges have started to implement COTEP. The department of education disseminated information about the changes, held workshops to ensure a common understanding, and left the colleges to implement the changes. Teacher educators experienced problems in the following areas: compilation of unit standards, quality assurance, determining admission criteria according to the NQF and implementation of the programmes they have designed. The questionnaires indicated that there is a lack of clear policies on how to equip the staff with skills to implement change. Although some of the staff members are aware of the changes, the information is not passed on to others. Lecturers are not familiar with basic aspects of the NQF like bands, levels, aims, credits, notional hours,accreditation and quality assurance. The link between COTEP and the NQF is not well understood. The needs identified are listed, conclusions and recommendations as to how the implementation could be more effective are made.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om die personeel-ontwikkelingsbehoeftes van onderwyseropleiers in die Noordelike Provinsie te identifiseer in die lig van die Nasionale Kwalifikasieraamwerk. Dit wil riglyne verskaf vir personeelontwikkeling, wat gebruik kan word om die geïdentifiseerde behoeftes aan te spreek. Om hierdie doel te bereik, het die navorser primêre en sekondêre bronne geraadpleeg om inligting in te sameloor die onderwerp, sodat In basis daargestel kan word vir die ontwerp van meetinstrumente, soos die gebruik van onderhoude en vraelyste Gesien teen die agtergrond van heersende literatuurstudie, kan groot verandering te wagte wees op die gebied van onderwyseropleiding in Suid-Afrika. Die regering, nywerheid- en onderwysgemeenskap is besorg oor die toestand van onderwyseropleiding en is by verskeie inisiatiewe betrokke om die gehalte daarvan te verbeter. Dit werp nuwe lig op konsepte soos kwalifikasies, kurrikulumontwerp en -ontwikkeling, die gehalte van onderrig, die evaluering van leerders se werk en die beheer van nasionale kwalifikasies. Dit stel nuwe konsepte bekend soos onderwysfases, gehalteversekering, toekenning van krediete en uitkomste. Personeelontwikkeling is 'n strategie wat moontlik gebruik kan word om veranderinge wat deur die toepassing van die NKR teweeggebring word, te implementeer. Faktore wat hierdie ontwikkeling kan ondersteun of belemmer, word deur modelle geïllustreer. Hierdie modelle word verduidelik en hul relevansie vir die navorsing word geïnterpreteer. Metodes en strategieë vir personeelontwikkeling word genoem. Die navorsingsmetodologie wat gebruik is om data te versamel, en die prosedure wat gebruik is om die data te analiseer en te interpreteer, is beskryf. Die onderhoude dui aan dat kolleges begin het om COTEP te implementeer. Die Departement van Onderwys versprei inligting oor veranderinge, het werkswinkels gehou om die algemene begrip te verbeter en het die implementering van veranderinge aan die kolleges oorgelaat. Onderwyseropleiers ondervind probleme op die volgende gebiede: • samestelling van eenheidstandaarde; • gehalteversekering; • bepaling van toelatingskriteria na aanleiding van die NKR; en • die implementering van programme wat ontwikkel is. Die response op die vraelyste het aangedui dat daar 'n gebrek aan duidelike beleid is oor hoe om die personeel toe te rus met vaardighede om veranderinge te implementeer. Alhoewel sommige personeellede bewus is van veranderinge, word inligting nie aan almaloorgedra nie. Dosente is nie vertroud met die basiese aspekte van die NKR nie, soos byvoorbeeld bande, vlakke, doelwitte, krediete, akkreditering en gehalteversekering. Die onderlinge verband tussen COTEP en die NKR word nie goed verstaan nie. Die geïdentifiseerde opleidingsbehoeftes is ook aangedui, en gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings word gemaak om die implementering meer effektief te maak.

This study explores the making of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) in South Africa between 1985 and 2003 and asks how a policy which represented a national consensus on transforming education and training failed to become hegemonic when the new state established itself. Informed by involvement in these events, the thesis draws on data gathered from documents and interviews with over 70 participants engaged in making the NQF. Using a conceptual vocabulary derived from Laclau and Mouffe's discourse theory the study undertakes an analysis of the way social antagonisms were constructed and political frontiers drawn. Through this taxonomy it seeks to explain how discourses associated with the NQF were constructed, contested and changed. Working with policy-makers' own accounts of their experiences the study explores the interrelationships between policy discourses, policy-makers' subjectivities and the nature of their agency. The thesis argues that the emergence and development of the NQF can be explained in relation to shifting hegemonic practices that sought to organise social relations in the field of education and training. The NQF is portrayed as a feature of the political transition, linked to practices concerned with securing a democratic market economy, and suturing the social dislocation brought about by the end of apartheid. The analysis runs that there has been a failure to maintain hegemony and that a rupture has occurred along a fault line within the South African state between practices building a corporatist state and those constructing a strong developmental state. In the process policy-makers have negotiated subjectivities within complex and shifting discursive networks.

Masters in Public Administration - MPA
The purpose of this study is to investigate what the municipalities within the greater Cape Town area are doing regarding Education, Training and Development within their different departments in relation to the National Qualifications Framework and the manner in which it affects career plans and prospects of employees and how the latter impacts on overall institutional transformation as a prerequisite for effective service delivery.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is the process of recognizing and crediting a person for his/her knowledge and experience however attained and promoting that person along a development pathway. In South Africa RPL has been promoted for social justice purposes related to access and redress. However these intentions have been lost within current educational discourses despite being rooted in several policies. Recently the role of vocational education has received increased prominence as a means to provide skills development. However there is often a disjuncture between policy formulation and implementation and this has given rise to this study of how RPL policy has been implemented within public Further Education and Training (FET) colleges. This paper investigates the RPL policies and practices in two public FET colleges and analyses how these employ social justice intentions of access and redress. The study reveals that there are similar conceptions of RPL amongst lecturers but varying RPL practices in these colleges.

This study investigated the reasons why FET part-time students enrolled at a FET college by examining their learning orientations. Guided by the literature, the focus was on the vocational orientation to learning and orientations to learning were further investigated within the vocational orientation based on orientations developed for part-time students found in the literature. In addition, it was investigated whether students&rsquo
expectations have been met and if they were satisfied with the college experience. Lastly, the study examined the relevance of college learning to the world of work and the contribution it made to the career development of learners in a globalising world.

The research shows that part-time students enrol at FET colleges predominantly for vocational reasons and the majority of the students were enrolled in order to advance their careers and associated with a vocational orientation to learning. However, it emerged that reasons for learning within the vocational orientation to learning are often multi-faceted and complex. The most important findings are 3 new learning orientations for part-time students that were identified: &lsquo
education for a qualification&rsquo
, &lsquo
education for adults who previously made the wrong choice&rsquo
and &lsquo
education for adults as a model for their children&rsquo
. Furthermore, the findings indicate that learners were satisfied with the programme they were enrolled in because they believed that the qualification would enable them to achieve their vocational aims which were primarily to find a new job, to be promoted and to increase their income. The findings suggest that the programme that was examined was relevant to the world of work, promoted employability and that it made a significant and important contribution to students&rsquo
career development in a globalising world.

This study investigates the development and implementation of the South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF) since its conceptualisation in the early 1980s, up to 2005. Premised on the concern that power struggles are having a negative effect on the development and implementation of the NQF, the purpose of the study is to support improved future development and implementation of the NQF by describing the amalgamation of the different and contradictory views that support the development of an NQF that replaces all existing and divisive education and training structures in South Africa - the NQF discourse. A further purpose of the study is to reveal this NQF discourse as a system in which power is exercised, and then to make recommendations on minimising the negative effects of the power struggles. Based within a Foucauldian theoretical framework, the study includes an extensive review of local and international literature on NQF development and implementation that is used to develop an NQF typology to describe and analyse the various aspects of the NQF. The literature review is followed by a qualitative analysis, using Foucauldian archaeology and genealogy, of an empirical dataset containing 300 interviews (including focus groups) with NQF stakeholders, 90 responses to discussion documents and 72 news articles published between 1995 and 2005. The findings of the study confirm the initial concern that power struggles are having a negative effect on the development and implementation of the South African NQF. The findings also show that the very same power struggles can have positive effects, but that in the South African NQF discourse, the balance of power is skewed towards the negative. Importantly, it was found that NQF development and implementation cannot be divorced from power, and that rather than attempting to undermine power within the NQF discourse, efforts can be better spent on three focused activities: 1. Inculcating an understanding of the NQF as a social construct. 2. Improving the compatibility between the NQF and the South African context. 3. Bridging the entrenched differences between educationalism and vocationalism.
Educational Studies
D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

The intention of this study was to describe the implementation process of the NQF in nursing education at central and provincial levels in order to explore the change process. It deals with this process as follows: Implementation of NQF in nursing education.; Organizational health at central and provincial levels.; The change strategies used at these levels.; The implementation level reached. It is a qualitative study of an enthographic type to describe and document the implementation of the NQF as it occurred. The researcher who was part of the group that generated the culture of learning in nursing, directly participated in the activities and events as they occurred at this initial stage of implementation of the NQF. A discussion between the researcher and nurse educators took place on strategies used and whether they find the existing environment promoting changes. The research techniques used for gathering information were interviews and documents. With this information the researcher was able to reflect, make inferences and interpretations. The state of nursing education was described within the organizational self-renewal strategies described by Owens (1998). The description of the process of implementing the NQF was viewed against the change strategies as described by Bennis, Benne and Chin (1969), which are the empirical rational, normative re-educative and power coercive. The stage of implementation of the NQF in NE that has been achieved has been assessed using the NQF principles as a yardstick. The data collected is largely qualitative and its analysis has been qualitative. The categories of the theoretical framework which are inputs (organizational health); process (change theories); and outcomes (awareness, planning, use and refinement) of the NQF principles, have been used to analyze the data. The findings on organizational health reveal that nursing education is a healthy organization at both central and provincial levels. It has taken the opportunity presented by the NQF to address some of its organizational problems such as the Scope of Practice for nurses and midwives. There are, however, problems in making final decisions about the planned implementation of the NQF because of differences in vision about the future of nursing education. The movement of nursing education (NE) to higher education (HE) is hampering progress because the National Government is not implementing the Education Act No. 101 of 1997 which has moved NE to HE. Both the South African Nursing Council (SANC) and Natal College of Nursing (NCN) have no coherent human resources development policy. At both the central and provincial levels of NE normative re-educative strategies are ones that have been used extensively rather than power coercive strategies. Empirical rational strategies were also made use of to identify the advantages of the NQF policy and to incorporate them into the planned changes. There is full awareness and planning for the implementation of all the principles of the NQF. The principles of the NQF that are already in use and are being refined are integration of education and training, relevance, credibility and legitimacy.This is because they had already been in use in nursing education and practice before the inception of the NQF policy.
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

 

 

 

Skills development is essential for every country to keep abreast with, at least one aspect of globalisation, namely, changes regarding production in the modern world. The way in which each country implements its skills development programme will depend on the unique history and circumstances of that country. Germany and Japan are amongst those countries that opted for a high skills strategy, whilst the United Kingdom opted for a low skills strategy. Kraak (2005) argues that South Africa would benefit by implementing a &lsquo
multi-pronged&rsquo
skills strategy because many of its citizens are unskilled or have very low skills. This approach would cater for lowskills, intermediate-skills and continue to develop high skills. South Africa&rsquo
s inputs-based education and training system has been replaced by a controversial outcomes-based approach. Many authors view an outcomes-based programme as lacking theory or content (Kraak, 1998
Young, 2004
Brown &
Keep, 2000
Boreham, 2002), as reductive and mechanistic (Bates &
Dutson, 1995, in Boreham, 2002) and mainly work-based and assessment-driven (Boreham, 2002). These criticisms question the quality of outcomes-based programmes. New laws promulgated by the South African government have introduced learnerships that form part of this new Skills Development strategy. This study reviewed the general policy on skills development and explored the experiences of learners who completed a Wholesale and Retail Learnership in the context of the structured college-based learning, the practical work-based learning as well as the integration of theory and practice, in South Africa. A qualitative approach was selected to enhance the researcher&rsquo
s understanding of the personal perspectives and experiences of learners who completed the learnership. The case study approach was used with a focus on analysing the subjective opinions of this group of learners. The research methods employed to clarify the understanding of how these learners experienced the learnership were semi-structured interviews, observations and analysis of documents. The research shows that South Africa&rsquo
s multi-level National Qualifications Framework provides for academic as well as vocational training and promotes a &lsquo
multi-pronged&rsquo
skills strategy. The findings suggest that the learners on this learnership experienced the theoretical learning in the college and the practical learning on the job as an integrated whole. The study concludes that the structured college-based learning enabled the learners on this learnership to implement what they learnt at college in the workplace.

The National Curriculum Statement (NCS) heralds the beginning of a new curriculum for Grades 10 to 12 in South Africa. Underpinned by the South African Constitution, and based on the tenets of Outcomes-based Education, the NCS seeks to provide contextually-relevant education for all South African learners, so that they are able to embrace inevitable change. Although the NCS highlights the importance of assessment, an analysis of the English Home Language (EHL) NCS reveals tensions between policy and practice. This study attempts to contextualise the role of relevant assessment for the 21st century. It then proceeds to engage in a historical evaluation of assessment within the NSC in terms of how assessment was conducted in the former Natal Education Department, a liberal education department within former apartheid South Africa. The conclusions drawn from the evaluation are used to provide recommendations to relieve the tensions identified within the EHL NSC.
Educational Studies
M.Ed.

碩士
國立政治大學
行政管理碩士學程
98
With the number of students on the wane in Taiwan and schools unable to fill their quotas, the educational system in universities and colleges on the island is facing a serious crisis. At the same time, the Industrial Innovation Act states that Taiwan needs to establish professional standards and determine verification standards for qualification even as free trade agreements between China and ASEAN and between China and Australia and New Zealand emphasize freer movement of people within those areas. In light of these developments, if Taiwan does not strive to set up a National Qualifications Network it will be impossible to carry out high level education exports, record checks and personnel exchanges as a result. In order to help universities and colleges cope with these factors, we hereby propose the establishment of a system for Recognition of Previous Learning (RPL) and National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and a Career Portfolio to consolidate and connect development of higher education and technical training in Taiwan. This article is based on analysis of written reports and in-depth studies of the backgrounds, policies, types of schools and special characteristics of higher education and technical training institutions in Hong Kong, England and Australia. Understanding the development of higher education and technical training in Hong Kong, England, Australia and the European Union is intended as a reference for setting up a Taiwan Qualifications Framework or TQF and can serve as a complement in the development of higher education and technical training in Taiwan. The principal method used to collect information in this study was the in-depth interview, and grounded theory was used to analyze the data. The final step was to reach conclusions and offer suggestions. There were a total of 14 such articles including “Methods, Procedures and Cautions in Setting Up a National Qualifications Framework”; “Setting Up a Qualifications Network Can Be an Aid to National Development”; “Potential Problems in Setting Up a Qualifications Framework”; “Complementary Measures Needed to Carry Out a Qualifications Framework”; “Inherent Definition of Recognition of Prior Learning and Points to be Noted in Implementing RPL”; “The Benefits of Recognition of Prior Learning in Education and Training”; “Points to Note when a Government Implements Recognition of Prior Learning”; “Keys to Success in Putting together a Career Portfolio Program and Related Concerns”; “Career Portfolios Are Helpful to Universities and Colleges in Attracting Students but Have Limited Use in Seeking Employment”; “Career Portfolios Can Be Useful in Personal Career Development”; “A Qualifications Framework Is of Limited Use in Evaluating Universities and Colleges”; “Universities Need Flexible Resources, Extended Interchanges and Both Lateral and Vertical Strategic Alliances in Their Operations”; “Failure to Devise a Policy for Students from China to Get into Universities and Colleges Is Causing Problems in Higher Education in Taiwan; Higher Education Assets Should Be Used More in China”; and “Universities Should Set Up Flexible Models to Draw Students from a Wider Variety of Sources and Should Pursue Their Operating Benefits from the Standpoint of Being an Educational Business”. This research is also based on a systematic analysis of other written reports and analyses gathered in the process of research and includes a model for a National Qualifications Framework, an applied model for a Career Portfolio, and interactive models for the RPL, NQF and Career Portfolio. Finally, there are suggestions and a comprehensive model for use by Central Government agencies, educational agencies and universities and colleges.

The promulgation of the South African Qualifications Authority Act, 1995, will transform the way in which learning is designed, developed, implemented, managed, assessed and evaluated. Many different organisations, institutions, industries and sectors understand the guiding principles and concepts of this Act but are grappling with all the forces and factors that impact and influence the implementation of the Act. The Act introduces the National Qualifications Framework, which will impact on learning and present many challenges and opportunities for education and training and development practitioners in South Africa. Because of the newness of this Act, many organisations, institutions, industries and sectors are in the process of waiting until all the relevant South African Qualifications Authority structures are in place before embarking upon some sort of action. Traditionally, most learning has been 'inputs' based (course content, course duration, course entrance requirements and course methodology). The South African Qualifications Authority Act, 1995, will refocus learning to 'outputs' (outcomes), with a fundamental shift in thinking about the way in which learning is designed, developed, implemented, assessed and evaluated. This shift may be described as "it does not matter where, when or how one learns, but what one learns, why one learns and if one has learnt". The South African Qualifications Authority Act, 1995, will also transform learning organisations in the way they plan and do things. The seven automobile manufacturers, together with the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (NUMSA), are challenged with these paradigm shifts. This dissertation was therefore concerned with these central issues in 'operationalising' the principles and concepts of the National Qualifications Framework within the automobile industry. The study revealed that most of the organisations in the automobile industry: • Are not well enough informed about the latest developments of the South African Qualifications Authority; • Do not necessarily have access to current, relevant and reliable information about the National Qualifications Framework; • Are all dedicated to uplifting the knowledge, skills and abilities of their staff through their 'multi-skilling model' for education and training and development; and • Support the underlying principles and concepts of the National Qualifications Framework. The automobile industry is therefore presented with many challenges and opportunities for the provision of education, training and development. Some challenges and opportunities for the automobile industry are: • The need to refocus education and training and development programmes/projects to ensure national alignment and international comparability; • The need to develop education, training and development staff in line with the 10 education, training and development practitioner roles; • The need to keep abreast with national initiatives impacting education and training and development.
Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Durban-Westville, 1998.

This is a qualitative case study which encompasses a thick description of an organization's workplace training programme and how it relates to the National Qualifications Framework and Skills Development. The organization in question is Imana Foods (Pty) Ltd. The purpose of conducting this particular study is to take a close look at the workplace training programme of a particular organization and to see how it has embraced the implementation of new legislative acts such as the South African Qualifications Authority Act, the Skills Development Act, the Skills Development Levies Act, and the Employment Equity Act into its education and training policy . These legislative acts are interrelated in the sense that they have one very significant common goal, and that is to improve the South African economy. By implementing these acts, the government hopes to increase the amount of skilled labour, which in turn should lead to better job opportunities for those employees who already have jobs, and also to promote education and training to those people who are unemployed. The government hopes to keep a watchful eye on the labour market with the intention of providing training in the areas where there is a shortage of skills. My intention for wanting to examine the workplace training programme of a single organization is to determine whether or not the training programme under study is serving its purpose which is to provide equal opportunity for all the employees within the organization.
Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

South Africa is facing increasing competition as it becomes a more active participant in the "global village". The current South African skills base is inadequate and existing education and training structures are doing little to ensure a high degree of flexibility and multi- skilling. In addition, many people have acquired skills which are not recognised by traditional, formal learning institutions. Future workforces will require a high degree of flexibility and multiple skills in order to keep abreast of the fast changing workplace and technological innovations. Furthermore, vocational training is often perceived as less valuable than an academic education qualification. It is these, and other issues which stimulated some debate around the transformation of education and training in South Africa. The recommended structure to guide this transformation is a national qualifications framework. The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) will form a backdrop for recognition of and awarding of qualifications. The Framework aims to integrate vocational and academic qualifications and maintain internationally comparative standards. This study focusses on the impact the introduction of the Framework is likely to have on industry. It was discovered that on the whole, organisations, unions and industry training boards are in agreement about the need for such a structure and the potential benefits thereof. However, most retain some reservations about the implementation process and the practical considerations of time and money are hindering the full acceptance of the Framework. While the process is in its infancy in many industries, certain other industries are rather well established in the process of implementation. The Framework is far from finalised, and even once fully implemented, will require ongoing maintenance and adaptation. For this reason most participants in this discussion indicated varying degrees of reservation about the overall success of the National Qualifications Framework.
Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)- University of Natal, 1997.

This study explores what happens as the ideals of a learnership, envisioned in the South African legislation, become real practice in a workplace within the financial services industry. Learnerships are at the centre stage for illuminating the processes of acquiring a vocational qualification, which combines education with work readiness. The constructivist philosophy to this research and its qualitative paradigm resonates well with the postmodernist thinking that knowledge has different purposes strongly linked to performance, demanding education that is value adding. It is through this postmodern lens that the broad theoretical framework for study is located. It encompasses theories of learning and workplace learning, such as Wenger’s (1998) perspectives on communities of practice and Kolb’s (1984) experiential learning circle. Mezirow’s (1981) transformative learning theory adds the dimension of dialogue. The method of illuminative evaluation is used to examine one event in order to explore its contextual insights. Qualitative inquiry has a fundamental people orientation and, for this reason, observation adds depth to the information gathering possibilities of interviews and document analysis. This report is enriched by narratives of people’s perspectives on events. This illuminative evaluation brought out rich and varied insights into the acquisition of knowledge, skills and work identity (values and attitudes), with some surprising and unexpected insights on success and failures. The workplace’s control of the learning process, while impacting extremely positively on the quality of the theoretical learning (which is interesting as education is not its core purpose), compromised in some respects the success of the end product of the learnership, the work readiness and employment possibilities of learners.

The thesis focuses on the profession of librarian and information professional in health care in the context of lifelong learning. The target group are professionals of information institutions in the network of public health information services in the Czech Republic. Content analysis of Czech and foreign materials and sociological quantitative research carried out by questionnaires in the Czech Republic's health information institutions are methods for analysing the needs of the librarian and information specialist in the health care sector in the Czech Republic. The output is a proposal of the concept of a lifelong professional education program called Competencies of the medical librarian for the performance of library and information activities. The lifelong education of medical librarians in connection with the concept of lifelong education of librarians in the Czech Republic is a process that will enable to gain necessary qualifications (professional knowledge and skills, general skills and soft skills) to perform this responsible and demanding profession.

Owing to past injustices, the South African higher education sector is characterised by inequalities of resource allocation and of learning opportunities. Through the National Qualification Framework (NQF), recognition of prior learning (RPL) was established to address the previous inequalities in higher education and training. RPL can be used as a mechanism to offer non-traditional learners such as workers, adult learners, and community workers access to learning programmes in Library and Information Science (LIS) schools. It can also be used for up-skilling within LIS sector, to enable staff to migrate from paraprofessional to professional roles. LIS schools could possibly use this approach to offer experienced but unqualified library workers opportunities for progressive professional development and career growth. Despite it being a national policy and its obvious benefits, very little is known about RPL implementation in LIS schools in South Africa. This study was conducted to investigate the nature of RPL implementation in LIS schools in South Africa and make recommendations for effective and efficient RPL practice in these schools. The study used the questionnaire as the main data collection tool. In addition, document analysis was used to validate the collected data. The results of the study indicated that there were islands of good RPL practice in LIS schools in South Africa specifically with regard to the aspect of RPL assessment process. However, certain weaknesses were identified in other aspects of RPL implementation in LIS schools including the policy environment, training of personnel conducting RPL assessment and the quality management systems. Among other things, the study recommends that RPL quality management system (QMS) should ideally be driven by the head/chair of the school/department. Furthermore, an integrated student management system should be used to monitor the progression of RPL candidates through the formal academic system post RPL.
Information Science
D. Litt et. Phil. (Information Science)

The democratic era in South Africa has led to the introduction of a wide-ranging series of teaching and learning policies aimed at school reform. The study aimed at establishing how these policies are implemented by educators in selected schools. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to gather information from educators, members of the School Management Teams and learners through in-depth individual and focus group interviews as the main data collection methods. Critical discourse analysis was used to examine participants‟ spoken words and the content of relevant documents such as lesson plans in detail. Comparisons were drawn and similarities identified through the coding, categorisation and condensation of data. The researcher interpreted the displayed data. A discussion of the main themes was presented and supported by quotations by participants. Findings indicate that there have been only few changes in terms of how educators teach; some educators conceded that they had not changed the way they teach since the introduction of new curriculum and assessment policies. The role played by learning outcomes in teachers‟ lesson planning was uneven. Members of School Management Teams demonstrated diverse views on teaching and learning policies. Learners who are taught in their home language encounter few difficulties in learning; this is not the case with learners who are taught through medium of a second language and thus lack the necessary language proficiency necessary for academic achievement. A shift from teacher-centred to learner-centred approaches to teaching is still required: that is, a shift from teaching to learning to enhance thinking and reflection which accommodates and draws on learners‟ prior knowledge and experiences. Class sizes should be reduced to enable effective educator and learner interaction. Educators‟ interest, tolerance, innovativeness and competency in the subject matter will help sustain learners‟ interest in the learning activities. Policy makers should explore professional development from viewpoint of the participating educators in order to identify the most effective strategies to support and change educators‟ classroom practice where necessary.
Curriculum and Instructional Studies
D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)