Getting learning right: report of the President's Education Initiative Research Project
This research was commissioned by the Teacher Development Centre on behalf of the Department of Education, under the auspices of the President's Education Initiative. The purpose was to provide a scientific basis for the future planning and delivery of educator development and support programmes.
The research has been narrowly focused on the school and classroom context, and has interrogated issues of teacher practice, curriculum, and the use of teaching and learning materials, as well as the inter-relatedness of these matters in whole school development processes. There is not a strong tradition in South Africa of empirical research into educational matters, and the research project has directed resources and attention to this aspect. The project has also succeeded in empowering a number of previously disadvantaged researchers and institutions, by recognising and supporting the work they have done in schools and classrooms.
The research findings are informative, and will help to construct an agenda for the future. Coupled with other related initiatives of the Teacher Development Centre, specifically the investigation into the content and delivery mechanisms of current educator development and support programmes, the research report provides a body of knowledge which will serve as a useful basis for the development of policy on teachers.
Hard copies are available from JET Education Services.
Some of the original research reports can be found in the Resources to download section.