RESEARCH ARTICLE

 

Continuing professional development for teachers in South Africa and social learning systems: Conflicting conceptual frameworks of learning

 

Voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling vir onderwysers in Suid-Afrika en sosiale leersisteme: Konflikterende konseptuele raamwerke vir leer

 

 

G.M. Steyn

Department of Further Teacher Education, University of South Africa, Pretoria. E-mail: steyngm1@unisa.ac.za

 

 

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ABSTRACT

To transform education in this country, South African teachers need to be appropriately equipped to meet the evolving challenges and needs of the country. The national policy framework for teacher education and development is an attempt to address the need for suitably qualified teachers in South Africa. Its aim is to improve the quality of education by focusing on the professional development of teachers. This article attempts to address the following research problem: Does continuing professional development for teachers (CPDT), as stipulated by the national policy framework, have the potential to contribute to the development of teachers as proposed by social learning systems? The answer to this question has the potential to inform and influence the policy and its implementation. The answer also describes how conceptual frameworks for learning in Wenger's social learning systems conflict with effective professional development (PD) programmes and CPDT.

Key concepts: continuing professional development of teachers; professional development; Wenger: social learning theory

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OPSOMMING

Ten einde onderwys in Suid-Afrika te verander, is dit nodig dat onderwysers toepaslik toegerus sal word om aan die uitdagings en behoeftes in die ontwikkelende land te beantwoord. Die nasionale beleidsraamwerk vir onderwysersopleiding en -ontwikkeling is 'n poging om die behoefte aan geskikte gekwalifiseerde onderwysers in Suid-Afrika te hanteer. Die doel daarvan is om die gehalte van onderwys te verbeter deur te fokus op die professionele ontwikkeling van onderwysers. Hierdie artikel poog om die volgende navorsingsprobleem te behandel: het voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling (VPOO), soos gestipuleer deur die nasionale beleidsraamwerk, die potensiaal om by te dra tot die ontwikkeling van onderwysers, soos voorgestel deur sosiale leersisteme? Die antwoord op hierdie vraag het die potensiaal om die beleid en die implementering daarvan te beinvloed. Die vraag beskryf ook hoe die konseptuele raamwerke van leer in Wenger se sosiale leerteorie in konflik is met effektiewe professionele ontwikkelingsprogramme vir onderwysers en VPOO.

Kernbegrippe: professionele ontwikkeling; voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling vir onderwysers; Wenger: sosiale leerteorie

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