faculty of education & social sciences dean’s report

Prof Maureen Robinson

The promotion of research and scholarship is a fundamental cornerstone of the work in this faculty. The 2006 report provides evidence of an increased number of participants at conferences and in research projects and a steady increase in higher degrees awarded to staff and students. The faculty is attracting more grants than in past years and is receiving the attention of a number of international scholars. Grants were received from the Shuttleworth Foundation, SANPAD, the NRF and private educational trusts.

We are particularly proud that the faculty is contributing to an area of study that is undertheorised and under-reported in South Africa, namely teacher education. Pedagogical and professional needs of teachers are changing as global and local developments impact on modes of teaching and learning. In this respect, the faculty is proving to be a leader in the field, with many of the research projects investigating different aspects of teacher practices in a modern-day South African context. Research projects include the teaching of particular subject areas like numeracy, literacy, art, children’s literature and science, as well as teacher education policy and practice, rural education, and diversity. In all these fields, papers have been presented and published. The faculty hosted the national conference for the Reading Association of South Africa and both students and staff participated actively in presenting papers as well as organising the conference.

The formation of local and international research partnerships is another area where encouraging work is happening. Two international scholars spent extended periods of time in the faculty: Prof Paula Cordeiro of the University of San Diego and Prof Peter Hewson of the University of Wisconsin. A number of conference presentations have emanated through the partnership with the University of York in the field of argumentation in science. The faculty appointed its first Adjunct Professor in 2006, Prof John Volmink, and he has been instrumental in exploring the establishment of a research unit in the faculty.

2006 saw the MEd programme attaining full accreditation by the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC). The second cohort of students began their coursework in this programme. A successful postgraduate seminar series has been introduced and a wide range of topics were facilitated by invited scholars, researchers and staff. The research seminars also provided staff with a platform to discuss work in progress as well as completed research projects. A research culture is taking root very firmly in the faculty with the increased number of postgraduate students working on their research projects and theses. The consequence of this is that many novice supervisors have teamed up with experienced supervisors and this augurs well for the developing research ethos as the continuum between the scholarships of teaching and research will enhance the work in the faculty.

The faculty was proud to graduate its first two doctoral candidates, one of whom travelled from the USA for the ceremony. The graduation of five staff members with higher degrees has greatly increased staff capacity for supervision and it is anticipated that the postgraduate retention and completion rate will continue to grow.

Industry Funding

Researcher/sAreaSource

Hartley S Promotion of science,Trust Funding100 000 mathematics and technology in rural Breede River and Overberg schools

Hill A Reading and teaching:SA Institute for100 000

Alexander J pre-service teachers and theDistance Education Thornhill C schooling context(SAIDE)

Hill A Teacher educationHSRC25 000

Johnson S MentoringMasimanyane50 000

Lombard AP Numeracy projectSANPAD300 000 (with UCT)

Scholtz Z Critical thinkingShuttleworth500 000

Sadeck M Foundation

Smith G Foundation phase numeracyShuttleworth100 000 Foundation