1. Environmental education in the urban environment: an innovative approach

2. Challenges for environmental education in southern Africa: integrating knowledge systems through the social organisation of trust

3. Job satisfaction of the circuit manager

4. The Griffiths Scales of Mental Development: an evaluation of their prediction of scholastic achievement

5. Philosophy of education as reflexive action: a way towards metaphysical objectivity

6. Work stress in management personnel in secondary schools in South Africa

7. Black Eastern Cape adolescents= experience of pregnancy termination (in Afrikaans)

8. Teachers= attitudes towards learners with little or no functional speech using alternative/augmentative communication devices

9. The potential of total quality education: a case study of a primary school in South Africa

10. Poverty: perspectives and educational implications

11. Perceptions of quality in an American school district and some questions it raises for South African schools

12. Language related problems of limited English proficiency learners in Grade 1

13. Is outcomes-based education a sufficient justification for education?

14. Professional and unprofessional behavioural characteristics of teachers and the implications thereof for teacher training (in Afrikaans)


1. Environmental education in the urban environment: an innovative approach

D Queiros
dqueiros@orion.up.ac.za

A spirit of environmental awareness and an holistic approach to the urban environment can be encouraged amongst primary and secondary level learners by means of a decentralised environmental education centre with associated urban trails. These trails link interesting focal points (for example, museums, parks, monuments)which can be used to address the needs of local schools. The city of Pretoria is used as a case study. Recommendations are made for appropriate activities that will enhance the learners= experiences on the trails. The suggested activities teach learners to be creative and to work co-operatively in interacting with the environment. 

2. Challenges for environmental education in southern Africa: integrating knowledge systems through the social organisation of trust

L le Grange
llg@akad.sun.ac.za

There are many complex environmentally related problems that provide challenges for Africa. In dealing with these issues, do we have to view western ways of knowing and indigenous ways of knowing in oppositional terms? An attempt is made to answer this question and argue for a space in which disparate knowledge traditions may work together in environmental education - a space in which the social organisation of trust takes precedence over empirical verification. 

3. Job satisfaction of the circuit manager

PC van der Westhuizen & CA Smit
doppcvdw@puknet.puk.ac.za

There is an urgent necessity to scrutinise the concept Ajob satisfaction@ in education, especially pertaining to the circuit manager (formerly Inspector of Schools) in South Africa. Research was done to identify which factors influence the extent of job satisfaction of circuit managers in the Northern Cape. The main finding was that circuit managers experienced far less job satisfaction than was initially surmised. It is apparent that Departments of Education should do more to ensure safe and constructive work environments for circuit managers. A profession integration programme for circuit managers is also proposed to facilitate improved task performance.

4. The Griffiths Scales of Mental Development: an evaluation of their prediction of scholastic achievement

DM Luis, CD Foxcroft, LB Worsfold, N Kotras & H Kotras

Since the introduction of the Griffiths Scales of Mental Development to South Africa, extensive research has been conducted in both clinical and educational settings. The aim of this study was to establish how accurately Grade 1 performance can be predicted from (a) the General Quotient (GQ) of the Griffiths Scales and (b) the Subquotients (SQs) of the six Griffiths Subscales. The findings indicated that the Griffiths Scales correlated significantly with scholastic performance and are useful to predict the latter with relative accuracy.

5. Philosophy of education as reflexive action: a way towards metaphysical objectivity

Y Waghid
yw@maties.sun.ac.za

The argument is made for philosophy of education as an overlapping three-dimensional (personal, public and professional) approach to educational tasks and problems. Such a view of philosophy of education is grounded in the notion of reflexive action intent on providing illumination, understanding, and perspective for educators to think with. Reflexive action allows space for intersubjective human practices through which a kind of metaphysical objectivity can be achieved and which allows space by means of which the Aunrepresentable can be thought@. 

6. Work stress in management personnel in secondary schools in South Africa

JL de K Monteith, S Smith & JL Marais
dopjlm@puknet.puk.ac.za

This study examined differences in the perceptions of principals, deputy principals and heads of department of the intensity of work stressors and the frequency of their occurrence. The job stress survey (JSS) was used for this purpose. The results indicated similarity between the stressors causing the highest stress intensity in principals, deputy principals and heads of department, and highlighted the importance of identifying specific sources of work stress for employees at different post levels prior to implementing stress management programmes.

7. Black Eastern Cape adolescents= experience of pregnancy termination (in Afrikaans)

JL Geldenhuys & N de Lange
gldnh-jl@pelican.vista.ac.za

Data were collected during individual interviews with adolescents who presented themselves for termination of their pregnancies at a hospital. Based on the findings of the research, it is recommended inter alia that adolescents and parents, especially those living in disadvantaged communities, be made aware of the magnitude of health problems related to termination of pregnancies and the safe termination technologies that are available, the development of community outreach programmes to make parents aware of the specific adjustment problems peculiar to the adolescent, and a relevant life skills programme for schools. 

8. Teachers= attitudes towards learners with little or no functional speech using alternative/augmentative communication devices

S Dada & E Alant

The aim of this study was to determine and compare teachers= attitudes towards learners with little or no functional speech, using two Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) devices, namely a digital speaker and a communication board. Teachers were randomly divided into two groups. Each group of teachers viewed a videotape showing a learner communicating using first the one and then the other AAC device. Teachers attitudes were measured using the Teacher Attitudinal Scale (TAS). The results revealed that teachers were generally positive towards both devices, but there was a consistent tendency to view the digital speaker more positively. The implications of this finding for teacher training are discussed. 

9. The potential of total quality education: a case study of a primary school in South Africa

RPD Hayward & GM Steyn
steyngm@unisa.ac.za

Total Quality Management (TQM) principles have been used successfully to improve products and services in business and industry. TQM also offers a philosophy and a strategy to address quality in the education sector. However, it requires adaptation and adjustment to meet the unique demands of this sector. This article describes the change in a South African public primary school which was driven by the TQM philosophy. An action research design was used to focus on areas of improvement. These areas included: physical resources, the curriculum, learner management, financial management and parent involvement. The implications of the research findings for the education sector are outlined. 

10. Poverty: perspectives and educational implications

GD Kamper
kampegd@unisa.ac.za

Globally, but especially in the so-called developing world, poverty is a social force majeure. Educationists should be informed about the demographic, economic, ecological, sociological, moral and strategic perspectives on poverty, and these are briefly outlined. The crucial role of the school in developing new sociol-economic values in society is pointed out. Success of education in disadvantaged communities depends on political will, learner-centred education and parent involvement. It is emphasised that the role of education in poverty alleviation is essentially determined by the level of professionalism amongst educators.

11. Perceptions of quality in an American school district and some questions it raises for South African schools

GM Steyn
steyngm@unisa.ac.za

A qualitative investigation of role players= perceptions of the way in which the foundation and the pillars of quality are realised in four selected schools is described. The schools participating in the study had all received the prestigious Excelsior Award for Quality and were thus recognised as National Schools of Excellence. The criteria for a total quality school are classified as the Apillars of quality@ for education. These are based on values and beliefs and include: customer focus, total involvement, measurement, commitment and continuous improvement. The pillars are considered universal and applicable to every educational institution. With reference to the pillars of quality, pertinent questions regarding quality in South African schools are raised. 

12. Language related problems of limited English proficiency learners in Grade 1

CF Viljoen & RML Molefe
cfv@edcur.rau.ac.za

Many parents are currently enrolling their children in English-medium schools, despite the fact that these children often have only limited proficiency in English. The research focussed on the emotional and behavioural problems which Grade 1 learners experience as a result of limited proficiency in English. Learners reported emotions ranging from anger and frustration to sadness. As multicultural education in South Africa has come to stay, teachers can no longer be biassed against limited English proficiency (LEP) learners. Change must originate within the teachers themselves, and recommendations in this regard are made. 

13. Is outcomes-based education a sufficient justification for education?

Y Waghid
yw@maties.sun.ac.za

It is argued that outcomes-based education (OBE) is conceptually trapped in an instrumentally justifiable view of education. The notion of OBE is incommensurable with a non-instrumental justification of education as explained by RS Peters. The process of specifying outcomes in educational discourse lends itself to manipulation and control and thereby makes the idea of OBE educationally impoverished. An argument is made for education through rational reflection and imagination which can complement an OBE system.

14. Professional and unprofessional behavioural characteristics of teachers and the implications thereof for teacher training (in Afrikaans)

JC Kok & RC Grobler
jck@edcur.rau.ac.za

An empirical study was conducted to establish which behavioural characteristics of teachers are regarded as most professional and which are regarded as most unprofessional by student teachers. A total of 19 professional behavioural characteristics were named, of which quality awareness, learner centeredness, maturity and expertise were mentioned the most. Of the 18 unprofessional behavioural characteristics that were mentioned, irresponsibility, disorganised behaviour, non-learner-centeredness and intolerance were mentioned most often. The findings imply that teacher training programmes will have to pay focussed attention to matters pertaining to the professional conduct of teachers.