6 - ‘From Cradle to Grave’: Transforming South Africa’s Learning Ecologies
Corresponding Author(s) : Lebusa Monyooe
Journal of Higher Education in Africa,
Vol. 13 No. 1-2 (2015): Journal of Higher Education in Africa: Special Issue on Sustainable Rural Learning Ecologies: Border Crossing
Abstract
This article examines key organizational principles that underpin responsive transformation strategies that have the potential to create spaces for critical engagement with South Africa’s basic education post the 1994 democratic elections. The article deploys various metaphors like the ‘ants, ecology, London Tube and bridge construction’ to unravel the deeper elements for transforming schools into sustainable learning ecologies. It concludes with an articulation of plausible interventions that the country may deploy to improve educational quality and the system’s efficacy.
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- Armaline, W.T., 2010, ‘Building Democracy through Education I Human Rights and Civic Engagement’, in Deheon, A.P. and Ross, E.W., eds, Critical Theories, Radical Pedagogies and Social Education,
- Sense Publishers.
- Ayers, W., 2010, To Teach – The Journey for a Teacher, New York: Teachers College Press.
- Constitution of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996), Pretoria: Government Printers. Dankelman, L., 2003,
- ‘Gender, Environment and Sustainable Development: Theore-tical Trends, Emerging Issues and Challenges’, Review Paper, United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW).
- Darling-Hammond, L. and Wentworth, L., 2010, ‘Benchmarking learning systems: student performance assessment in international context’, Stanford, CA: Stanford University, Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education. Available from http://www.edpolicy.stanford.edu.
- Darling-Hammond, L., 2010, The Flat World and Education, New York: Teachers College Press.
- Darling-Hammond, L. and Sykes, G., 2003, ‘Wanted: national teacher supply policy for education. The right way to meet the “highly qualified teacher” challenge,Education Policy Analysis Archives 11 (33): 1–55.
- Department of Education, 1997, White Paper 3; A Programme for the Transformation of Higher Education, General Notice 1196 of 1997, Pretoria: Government Printers.
- Department of Education, 1998, The Employment of Educators Act, Pretoria: Govern- ment Printers.
- Department of Education, 2000, The White Paper on Early Childhood Development, Pretoria: Government Printers.
- Department of Education, 2001, The Education White Paper 6 on Inclusive Education, Pretoria: Government Printers.
- Department of Education, 2001, The General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Act, Pretoria: Government Printers.
- Department of Education, 2010, Action Plan to 2014: Towards the Realisation of Schooling 2025, Pretoria: Government Printers.
- Department of Education, 2010, The Delivery Agreement for Basic Education Sector, Pretoria: Government Printers.
- Department of Education, 2011, Annual National Assessments Results, Pretoria: Government Printers.
- Department of Education, 2011, The National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12, Pretoria: Government Printers.
- Department of Education, 2014, Annual National Assessments Results, Pretoria: Government Printers.
- Desimone, L., 2002, ‘How can comprehensive school reform models be successfully implemented?’, Review of Educational Research 73: 433–79.
- Fredrickson, J., 1997, ‘Reclaiming our voices: emancipatory narratives on critical literacy, praxis and pedagogy’, An Occasional Paper Series for Entering the 21ˢᵗ Century, Los Angeles, CA: California Association for Bilingual Education.
- Fullan, M., 1993, Change Forces: Probing the Depths of Educational Reforms, Lon- don: Falmer Press.
- Fullan, M., 2009, ‘Large-scale reforms comes to age’, Journal of Educational Change 10: 101–13.
- Giroux, H.A., 2003, ‘Public pedagogy and the politics of resistance: notes on critical theory of educational struggle’, Educational Philosophy and Theory 35 (1): 5–16.
- Giroux, H.A. and McLaren, P., eds, (2004) Between Borders – Pedagogy and Politics of Cultural Studies, New York: Routledge.
- Hargreaves, A. and Fink, D., 2004, ‘The seven principles of sustainable leadership’,Educational Leadership 61 (7): 8–13.
- Harris, A., 2000, ‘What works in school improvement? Lessons from the field andfuture directions’, Educational Research 42 (1): 1–11.
- Heystek, J. and Lethoko, M., 2001, ‘The contribution of teacher unions in the restora- tion of teacher professionalism and the culture of learning and teaching’, South African Journal of Education 21 (4): 222–28.
- Hopkins, D., ed., 2007, Transformation and Innovation: System Leaders in the Global Age, London: Specialist Schools and Academics Trust.
- Hopkins, D., Stringfield, A., Harris, A., Stoll, L. and Mackay, T., 2014, ‘School and system improvement: a narrative state-of-the-art review’, School Effectiveness and School Improvement: An International Journal of Research, Policy and Practice 25 (2): 257–81.
- Knight, S. and Collins., C. 2010, ‘Enlivening the curriculum: the power of philosophical inquiry’, Theory and Research in Education 8 (30): 305–18.
- Monyooe, L.A., 2005, ‘Inclusive education and training systems: illusion or reality? The story of Nothemba’, Education Policy Analysis Archives 13 (3). Available online at http://epaa.au.edu/epaa/v13n3/
- Monyooe, L., 2012, ‘Building bridges to better education’, The Star, 20 December. Available online at http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/building-bridges-to-better- education-1.1443474
- Monyooe, L., 2014a, ‘Preschool quick fix sets bar too low’, Mail & Guardian, 31 January–6 February.
- Monyooe, L., 2014b, Poetic Weaves – Musings from the Soul, Pretoria: Mava Publishers.
- Monyooe, L., Tjatji, M. and Mosese, E., 2014, ‘South Africa’s increased matricula- tion passes: what skunks behind the rose?’, Journal of Education and Training Studies 2 (1): 180–92.
- Mwamwenda, T.S. and Lukhele-Olorunju, P., eds, 2013, The Triumphs and Prosperity of Education in Africa, Pretoria: Africa Institute of South Africa.
- National Research Council, 2000, Inquiry and the National Science Standards: A Guide for Teaching and Learning, Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
- OECD, 2015, Education Policy Outlook 2015: Making Reforms Happen, OECD Publishing. Available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264225442-enSahlberg, P., 2011, Finnish Lessons – What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland?,
- New York: Teachers College Press.
- Smolleck, L.A. and Nordgren, S.B., 2014, ‘Transforming standards-based teaching: embracing the teaching and learning of science as inquiry in elementary class- rooms’, Journal of Education and Human Development 3 (2): 1–19.
- The Presidency Republic of South Africa, 2014, National Development Plan 2030 – Our Future – Make It Work, Pretoria: Government Printers.
- Waghid, Y., 2004, ‘African philosophy of education: implications for teaching and learning’, South African Journal of Higher Education 18 (3): 56–64.
References
Armaline, W.T., 2010, ‘Building Democracy through Education I Human Rights and Civic Engagement’, in Deheon, A.P. and Ross, E.W., eds, Critical Theories, Radical Pedagogies and Social Education,
Sense Publishers.
Ayers, W., 2010, To Teach – The Journey for a Teacher, New York: Teachers College Press.
Constitution of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996), Pretoria: Government Printers. Dankelman, L., 2003,
‘Gender, Environment and Sustainable Development: Theore-tical Trends, Emerging Issues and Challenges’, Review Paper, United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW).
Darling-Hammond, L. and Wentworth, L., 2010, ‘Benchmarking learning systems: student performance assessment in international context’, Stanford, CA: Stanford University, Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education. Available from http://www.edpolicy.stanford.edu.
Darling-Hammond, L., 2010, The Flat World and Education, New York: Teachers College Press.
Darling-Hammond, L. and Sykes, G., 2003, ‘Wanted: national teacher supply policy for education. The right way to meet the “highly qualified teacher” challenge,Education Policy Analysis Archives 11 (33): 1–55.
Department of Education, 1997, White Paper 3; A Programme for the Transformation of Higher Education, General Notice 1196 of 1997, Pretoria: Government Printers.
Department of Education, 1998, The Employment of Educators Act, Pretoria: Govern- ment Printers.
Department of Education, 2000, The White Paper on Early Childhood Development, Pretoria: Government Printers.
Department of Education, 2001, The Education White Paper 6 on Inclusive Education, Pretoria: Government Printers.
Department of Education, 2001, The General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Act, Pretoria: Government Printers.
Department of Education, 2010, Action Plan to 2014: Towards the Realisation of Schooling 2025, Pretoria: Government Printers.
Department of Education, 2010, The Delivery Agreement for Basic Education Sector, Pretoria: Government Printers.
Department of Education, 2011, Annual National Assessments Results, Pretoria: Government Printers.
Department of Education, 2011, The National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12, Pretoria: Government Printers.
Department of Education, 2014, Annual National Assessments Results, Pretoria: Government Printers.
Desimone, L., 2002, ‘How can comprehensive school reform models be successfully implemented?’, Review of Educational Research 73: 433–79.
Fredrickson, J., 1997, ‘Reclaiming our voices: emancipatory narratives on critical literacy, praxis and pedagogy’, An Occasional Paper Series for Entering the 21ˢᵗ Century, Los Angeles, CA: California Association for Bilingual Education.
Fullan, M., 1993, Change Forces: Probing the Depths of Educational Reforms, Lon- don: Falmer Press.
Fullan, M., 2009, ‘Large-scale reforms comes to age’, Journal of Educational Change 10: 101–13.
Giroux, H.A., 2003, ‘Public pedagogy and the politics of resistance: notes on critical theory of educational struggle’, Educational Philosophy and Theory 35 (1): 5–16.
Giroux, H.A. and McLaren, P., eds, (2004) Between Borders – Pedagogy and Politics of Cultural Studies, New York: Routledge.
Hargreaves, A. and Fink, D., 2004, ‘The seven principles of sustainable leadership’,Educational Leadership 61 (7): 8–13.
Harris, A., 2000, ‘What works in school improvement? Lessons from the field andfuture directions’, Educational Research 42 (1): 1–11.
Heystek, J. and Lethoko, M., 2001, ‘The contribution of teacher unions in the restora- tion of teacher professionalism and the culture of learning and teaching’, South African Journal of Education 21 (4): 222–28.
Hopkins, D., ed., 2007, Transformation and Innovation: System Leaders in the Global Age, London: Specialist Schools and Academics Trust.
Hopkins, D., Stringfield, A., Harris, A., Stoll, L. and Mackay, T., 2014, ‘School and system improvement: a narrative state-of-the-art review’, School Effectiveness and School Improvement: An International Journal of Research, Policy and Practice 25 (2): 257–81.
Knight, S. and Collins., C. 2010, ‘Enlivening the curriculum: the power of philosophical inquiry’, Theory and Research in Education 8 (30): 305–18.
Monyooe, L.A., 2005, ‘Inclusive education and training systems: illusion or reality? The story of Nothemba’, Education Policy Analysis Archives 13 (3). Available online at http://epaa.au.edu/epaa/v13n3/
Monyooe, L., 2012, ‘Building bridges to better education’, The Star, 20 December. Available online at http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/building-bridges-to-better- education-1.1443474
Monyooe, L., 2014a, ‘Preschool quick fix sets bar too low’, Mail & Guardian, 31 January–6 February.
Monyooe, L., 2014b, Poetic Weaves – Musings from the Soul, Pretoria: Mava Publishers.
Monyooe, L., Tjatji, M. and Mosese, E., 2014, ‘South Africa’s increased matricula- tion passes: what skunks behind the rose?’, Journal of Education and Training Studies 2 (1): 180–92.
Mwamwenda, T.S. and Lukhele-Olorunju, P., eds, 2013, The Triumphs and Prosperity of Education in Africa, Pretoria: Africa Institute of South Africa.
National Research Council, 2000, Inquiry and the National Science Standards: A Guide for Teaching and Learning, Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
OECD, 2015, Education Policy Outlook 2015: Making Reforms Happen, OECD Publishing. Available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264225442-enSahlberg, P., 2011, Finnish Lessons – What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland?,
New York: Teachers College Press.
Smolleck, L.A. and Nordgren, S.B., 2014, ‘Transforming standards-based teaching: embracing the teaching and learning of science as inquiry in elementary class- rooms’, Journal of Education and Human Development 3 (2): 1–19.
The Presidency Republic of South Africa, 2014, National Development Plan 2030 – Our Future – Make It Work, Pretoria: Government Printers.
Waghid, Y., 2004, ‘African philosophy of education: implications for teaching and learning’, South African Journal of Higher Education 18 (3): 56–64.