Perspectives in Education 

About: Perspectives in Education is an academic journal published by University of Pretoria. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Higher education & Curriculum. It has an ISSN identifier of 0258-2236. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 958 publications have been published receiving 11380 citations. The journal is also known as: Perspectives in education (Johannesburg. Online) & PIE.

The case against bilingual and multilingual education in South Africa : laying bare the myths : Many languages in education : issues of implementation

Abstract: The issue of language in education in South Africa at the turn of the millennium remains contested. Apartheid language-in-education policy infused with unequal language proficiency demands for school pupils in the country was replaced in 1997 with a new policy based on non-discriminatory language use and the internationally accepted principle of mother-tongue education in the context of a bilingual or multilingual framework. It was designed to secure mother-tongue (L1) maintenance, proficiency in a second language (L2) (English for the majority of pupils) and optimal cognitive development. The policy has not been accompanied or followed by any significant government initiated implementation plan. It has, however, been met with several arguments against its implementation and these have found their way into publications which have been used to deflect government's responsibility regarding implementation. Whilst government remains inert on the matter, the discriminatory policy of the former apartheid government continues, by default, to be practiced in schools.

The perceptions of students and lecturers of some factors influencing academic performance at two South African universities

Abstract: This article presents the results of two recent empirical investigations at universities in South Africa (University of Pretoria and University of South Africa) where an attempt was made to identify the pre- and post-enrolment factors that lecturers and students perceived as having the most important influence on students' success in their university studies. The opinions of lecturers were compared with those of various groups of undergraduate students within and across the two universities. Different genders, different years of study, different home languages, different languages of instruction, and different modes of study (contact and distance education) were considered. The investigations revealed a strong level of agreement between lecturers and students concerning most factors that were identified as being likely to contribute to students' academic success. However, there was considerable diversity in the opinions of lecturers and students concerning the factors that were identified as being likely to contribute to students' failure at university. These differences were more pronounced at the distance education institution than at the contact university.

Has curriculum reform in South Africa really changed assessment practices, and what promise does the revised National Curriculum Statement hold?

Abstract: This article examines the extent to which outcomes-based education, Curriculum 2005 and the Revised National Curriculum Statement provide guidelines for assessment that are consistent with principles of high-quality assessment. It illustrates that important principles such as reliability, validity and fairness are embodied in these curriculum frameworks, but that the principles are not always made explicit. It is claimed that this shortcoming is one of the reasons that concerns about why, how and when to assess learners have been evident in much of the debate surrounding recent South African curriculum reform. The paper argues that if teachers understand the fundamental principles of high-quality assessment, then they will have little difficulty in adapting their assessment practices to the broad guidelines provided by OBE or to the specific guidelines provided by Curriculum 2005, the revised National Curriculum Statement or any future curriculum framework. The paper uses examples from case studies to suggest that when teachers ignore sound assessment practices, assessment becomes a meaningless activity divorced from learning.

Work-related well-being of educators in a district of the North-West Province

Abstract: The objectives of this article were to assess the relationship between burnout, health, job demands and job resources in a sample of educators. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Stratified random samples (N = 266) were taken of educators in an area of the NorthWest Province. The Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey, the Health subscale of the ASSET, and the Job Demand-Resources Scale were administered. The results showed that overload, a lack of growth opportunities, and a lack of control explained 35% of the variance in exhaustion. A lack of growth opportunities, job insecurity and a lack of control explained 23% of the variance in cynicism. Exhaustion explained 17% of the variance in physical illhealth, whereas exhaustion, cynicism and low professional efficacy explained 38% of the variance in psychological ill-health.