Browsing by Author "Morphet, Tony"

Now showing 1 - 11 of 11
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    Adult conceptions of the environment: an analysis of a formal curriculum in Environmental Education
    (1996) Reddy, Shaada; Morphet, Tony; Winter, Kevin
    This research reports on an evaluation of conceptions of the environment held by a group of students at the University of Cape Town. This group of students were all registered for the degree of Bachelor of Education, and included in their curricula the elective in Environmental Education. The research attempts to describe the constructivist approach as implemented in the course in Environmental Education over a prescribed period, and to explore the impact of such an approach on student conceptions. The research was conducted primarily through the use of two questionnaires together with unstructured interviews. The results of the questionnaires and interviews were used to assess both qualitatively and quantitatively the development of student conceptions of the environment. The first questionnaire was administered early on in the course, while the second was administered towards the end of the course. In this way it was possible to make a comparative study of the responses. The results indicate that the course contributed to some shift in student conceptions of the environment, and that it contributed also towards the development of environmental attitudes, values and behaviour. The work concludes with suggestions for developing aspects of the course design, in the light of insights gained by this research.
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    The ambiguities of empowerment: a deconstructive approach to the adult education work of Edward Roux in the 1930s and 1940s and its implications for present conceptions of learner materials for adult basic education and training (ABET)
    (1999) Alexander, Lucy; Morphet, Tony
    This research is an attempt to understand the ambiguities of empowerment inherent in transactions between educators and adult learners studying at a basic level. Through analysing the case study of Edward Roux's text-based adult education intervention for Africans in South Africa in the 1940's, some conclusions on the resultant power arrangements were drawn. These interpretive conclusions were applied comparatively to a set of adult basic education texts in use in South Africa in the 1990's. The research addressed itself to selected biographical events from Roux's life, as well as to a set of theoretical texts written by Roux about adult education and a set of pamphlets called The Sixpenny Library, intended for mass distribution to adult readers. The texts were analysed using a postmodern discourse analysis methodology. Having identified five recurrent discursive formations in the texts, it was proposed that these discourses could be intertextually read as constituting an individualised construction by Roux of the Enlightenment meta-narrative. The genealogy of the meta-narrative was analysed, the subjectification of the adult learners was asserted and an interpretation of the arrangements of power within the educational transaction was proposed. The primary findings were made on the basis of the case study: it was concluded that Roux was committed to the Enlightenment ideal which he constructed in terms of Western educational and cultural norms. By conflating education with social remediation and rationalism, he proposed that education in its own right had socially . redemptive power and that it would even result in equality. The potential impact of the intervention in subjectifying adult learners and their resultant disempowerment was analysed and some general trends were noted. Roux's intervention suggested a deep but unrealistic conviction that the acquisition of knowledge had the potential to alleviate the social deprivations that Africans suffered under conditions of post-colonial racial capitalism. Unconsciously Roux conflated the promise of empowerment with the acquisition of a set of basically Western rationalist cultural values and beliefs, without recognising the identity which he constructed for the educator and the attendant disempowerment which the learners may have experienced. The secondary stage of the research comprised the application of the claims identified in Roux's case study to three comparable genres of Adult Basic Education and Training texts of the 1990's; the presence of similar assumptions in these transactions was assessed and continuities and changes were identified. Some general conclusions were drawn regarding the nature of adult education transactions and the potential for a postmodern consciousness to alter the arrangements of power within educational transactions for adults was discussed. The limitations of the study in terms of learner responses was acknowledged and avenues for further research were identified. An attempt was made to bring into focus some of the uncertainties operative at a global level within adult education, while addressing issues of power between educator and learner in the field of basic adult education in South Africa.
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    Archaeology, museology and education : a case-study at Vergelegen
    (1993) Pastor, Juanita; Morphet, Tony; Hall, Martin
    The following thesis focuses on the relationship between archaeologists, museologists and the broader community, in terms of educational programmes. It consists of a case-study comprising an educational project based on theoretical ideas of People's Archaeology as influenced by theories of Freirean education. The process of the educational project is illustrated through the description of interviews and workshops. The case-study indicates that there is a gap between academic and community percpetions of the role of archaeology and museums. Results from interpretations indicate that much more research emphasising the constitution, situation and perceptions of specific communities, especially those which have previously been marginalised by broader society, is needed in order to improve the educational services which museums and archaeologists offer to the community.
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    A critical evaluation of organisations attempting to increase the number of chartered accountants from the black community in South Africa
    (1993) Bailey, Nadine; Weil, Sidney; Morphet, Tony
    The research problem addressed in this research is the shortage of qualified chartered accountants from the black community in South Africa. This research attempts to identify what factors have resulted in this shortage, what efforts are being made to address this imbalance by which organisations and what factors could be considered as critical to the success of organisations, programmes and/or individuals. The study consists of a literature review and a three stage survey. Qualified black accountants and representatives of educational and other relevant organisations responded to questionnaires or were interviewed. The study is descriptive and exploratory in nature. Results indicate common trends amongst individual accountants and the opinions and experiences of organisations, rather than quantifiable data. The initial survey highlighted issues which have historically contributed to the shortage of black accountants, including awareness and perception of the profession, institutions, structures, racism, financial, macro and micro societal and educational factors. Educational factors were focused on for the remainder of the research. The literature review examined research in the areas of academic support programmes, cognition, learning and education and accounting education. Needs assessment, organisational objectives, educational methodology and evaluation were highlighted as potentially important factors in academic support programme design. The final section of the research drew on the practical experiences of support organisations and qualified accountants. The factors identified in the literature review appeared to be evident in most programmes. The group of qualified accountants participating in the study had not, however, participated in educational interventions by organisations, so the effectiveness of the hypothesized success factors could not be adequately assessed. Other issues which were identified in the study, and which are suggested for further research, were participation in facilitated or informal study groups, issues related to bilingualism and language and the importance of the locus of control over, and location of responsibility for, learning. The results indicate certain trends and commonalities which could guide further study, but the small population and sample size, and low response rates limit the generalisability of the results. Although the results are inconclusive as to the effectiveness of support organisations, a number of implications of the study for the short and long term, as well as suggestions for future research, can be made.
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    Distant voices : a study of distance education text strategies in relation to adult learning styles
    (1998) Mackenzie, Elizabeth Anne; Morphet, Tony
    Distance education promises to broaden access to education to an increasing number and variety of learners in the "new South Africa". The construction and presentation of course texts is a critical factor in whether that promise is fulfilled. The producers of texts, working in their specific socio-cultural contexts, select and sequence the concepts they teach and create voices in the text which work in place of actual teachers. These textual voices interact with readers in a variety of communicative and educative ways, opening to greater or fewer styles of learning, and constructing a wider or narrower range of identities for readers. This results in learning styles being more or less able to be engaged, and learners being more or less able to identify with identities constructed for them by the text. The learner identities so constructed are sustained by combinations of political, educational and global discourses which reflect, challenge or perpetuate social power relations, such as gender
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    Dropouts from literacy : an analysis of the meanings which adult learners attach to the fact of abandoning their training programme
    (1998) Gale, Faith Margaret Nola; Morphet, Tony
    When considering their dropout, many described experiences of being a misfit, or feeling uncomfortable with discourse practices in which they were expected to engage. Some had logistical difficulties in attending, such as transport or small children, but even greater than these was the fact that they had been disappointed. These learners believe the "literacy myth" that literacy, as a set of skills one can acquire, will result in significant improvements in one's life. They also equate literacy with education, and although they experience none of the benefits that are supposed to accrue to the literate, they continue to say that they believe in its power. However, in practice, attendance at adult centres is relatively poor in comparison with numbers of potential students, those termed "illiterate." It may be deduced that adult "illiterates" regard literacy as some kind of "saviour", a panacea for all ills. Even if it is not directly accessed, the fact of its existence and the notion of its power is enough to provide hope for a better future and comfort in hard times.
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    Education and political action : a case study of a project
    (1990) Versfeld, Ruth; Morphet, Tony
    Educational projects offering an alternative to the traditional, formal system are increasing in number. Many hold ideals of participative learning and the development of personal autonomy but are also committed to a particular political vision. The interest of this case-study lies in the consideration of how such educational values may interact with a call to support and act upon a set of beliefs. This tension between open-ended educational work and directed action is a central problem in Paulo Freire's pedagogy. Freire talks of consciousness-raising as the process by which people become aware of the political implications of their personal situations. He advocates experience-based learning but also has an analysis of society which 'conscious' people are to realize. Conscientization, in these terms, is caught between a desire to have people take responsibility for their own learning and to teach a specific view of society. The learning process thus comes into conflict with the curriculum content with priority necessarily being given to one over the other. Freireian concepts such as dialogue, praxis and transformation are central to many alternative educational projects although they are frequently ill-defined, containing contradictions and creating confusion. This may be reflected in their organizational structures as well as in their outreach work. This study considers the relationships between learning and action, individuality and unity and equality and expertise so as to articulate the difficulties faced by the project under discussion. The aim of this study is not to provide a set of solutions for the project to adopt but rather to define areas of concern so that the project itself is better able to determine its own direction. The means by which these areas are uncovered and shared with interested parties is therefore of central importance. Thus the limits and possibilities of participant-observation as an evaluative approach are explored with particular interest in the setting up of the contract, the definition of the problem and the communication of the insights gained back to the project stakeholders. The project selected for this case-study is 'End Racism and Sexism through Education' (E.R.A.S.E.), a small, Cape Town based initiative.
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    Institutional change in higher education: a case study
    (1998) Bleazard, David Keith; Morphet, Tony
    The dissertation, "Institutional Change in Higher Education: A Case Study" examines efforts to bring about fundamental institutional change at the University of Natal over a period of some 1 0 years, 1988 to 1997. The case study is characterised as being of an embedded single case design. It is an instrumental rather than an intrinsic study. It attempts to extend understanding of the complex social phenomenon of institutional change in higher education, through analytic generalization. The two sub-units of the case study relate to different attempts by the executive of the University of Natal to bring about consensus on the need for fundamental change and the nature of the change: through a more-or-less conventional strategic planning process; and by the adoption- as a strategic initiative- of the notion of becoming a learning organization. The two sub units are examined on the strength of University documents and interviews with past and present University office bearers and staff, within a conceptual framework of organizational theory derived mainly from Mintzberg, McGregor, and Senge. Both the strategic planning approach and the learning organization approach are seen to have failed as means of engineering consensual change and in the latter half of 1997 the University experiences a restructuring crisis as a result of financial pressures. A puzzle around restructuring, viz. why the University should pursue structural change which goes beyond the needs of simple cost-cutting and efficiency, is addressed first in terms of a perceived need for innovation, within the foregoing organizational theoretical framework. The analysis is then extended (effectively recontextualised) within a more pedagogic, social and political theoretical framework which is dependent largely on Bernstein. This analysis sees the changes being pursued at the University of Natal as being consistent with a shift in higher education generally to a market-dominated, competitive discourse in which University lecturers become knowledge entrepreneurs, competing within the institution and between institutions for scarce resources in response to perceived market needs. In this process, the narcissistic and introjected identities of academic departments, in which professionals in bounded disciplines determine priorities themselves, are replaced by projected identities and priorities are determined outside the discipline and the University. This cannot happen overnight. However, plans at the University of Natal to remove their administrative authority from academic departments are seen as a step in this direction.
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    Institutional change in higher education: a case study
    (1998) Bleazard, David Keith; Morphet, Tony
    The dissertation, "Institutional Change in Higher Education: A Case Study" examines efforts to bring about fundamental institutional change at the University of Natal over a period of some 1 0 years, 1988 to 1997. The case study is characterised as being of an embedded single case design. It is an instrumental rather than an intrinsic study. It attempts to extend understanding of the complex social phenomenon of institutional change in higher education, through analytic generalization. The two sub-units of the case study relate to different attempts by the executive of the University of Natal to bring about consensus on the need for fundamental change and the nature of the change: through a more-or-less conventional strategic planning process; and by the adoption- as a strategic initiative- of the notion of becoming a learning organization. The two sub units are examined on the strength of University documents and interviews with past and present University office bearers and staff, within a conceptual framework of organizational theory derived mainly from Mintzberg, McGregor, and Senge. Both the strategic planning approach and the learning organization approach are seen to have failed as means of engineering consensual change and in the latter half of 1997 the University experiences a restructuring crisis as a result of financial pressures. A puzzle around restructuring, viz. why the University should pursue structural change which goes beyond the needs of simple cost-cutting and efficiency, is addressed first in terms of a perceived need for innovation, within the foregoing organizational theoretical framework. The analysis is then extended (effectively recontextualised) within a more pedagogic , social and political theoretical framework which is dependent largely on Bernstein. This analysis sees the changes being pursued at the University of Natal as being consistent with a shift in higher education generally to a market-dominated, competitive discourse in which University lecturers become knowledge entrepreneurs, competing within the institution and between institutions for scarce resources in response to perceived market needs . In this process, the narcissistic and introjected identities of academic departments, in which professionals in bounded disciplines determine priorities themselves , are replaced by projected identities and priorities are determined outside the discipline and the University. This cannot happen overnight. However , plans at the University of Natal to remove their administrative authority from academic departments are seen as a step in this direction.
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    Reading scientific images: the iconography of evolution
    (2011) Mason, Richard; Morphet, Tony; Prosalendis, Sandra
    Visual literacy is the ability to read and understand images. While we are taught to read and write words at school, no focused attention is given to teaching the skills to read images other than as ‘art’ or attractive illustrations of the words we read in schools. This book about scientific visual literacy focuses on the most dynamic area of contemporary human discovery, the theory of evolution.
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    Time and teachers : an empirical and conceptual study of the competition for the available time in the classroom practice of teachers working in the Western Cape, 1989-1990
    (1990) Reid, Robert Christopher Walter MacNeile; Morphet, Tony
    This study examines the role of time in the working lives of teachers in the Western Cape in the years 1989 and 1990. The study is based upon interviews with twelve teachers, all of whom were currently teaching or who had been teaching in the recent past. The interviews explored the attitudes and practices of the teachers regarding their timetables, free periods, extra-murals, marking practices and lesson preparation, meetings, homework practices, tests and examinations, and professionalism, in so far as these were affected by considerations of time. The study argues that conflict in schools is produced by the struggle for autonomy, particularly in the classroom practice of teachers, and that this struggle takes the form of competition for control of time. In particular, the study suggests that there are rankings of power and priorities in schools and that these can be better understood by examining the relationships between time, conflict and autonomy.