In this section the following aspects were addressed: the location of each school, infrastructure of the school (specifically relating to Technology Education), the number of learners per class, and a brief description of each participant and their qualifications. Due to ethical considerations pseudonyms have been allocated to each teacher and their school.
4.2.1. Mr Jasper at Willow Primary School
Willow Primary School is a senior primary campus found in the affluent part of Pinetown District. It is an ex-Model C9 school, and the demographics of the school encompass the essence of a democratic South Africa. In keeping with the excellent facilities of the school, the school has a fully equipped Technology workshop. The average number of learners per
9During the apartheid era the education system was determined along racial lines. Each race group ran their own schools. Schools for ‘white children’ had the best facilities and were called Model C schools. Now with democracy and admission of children across the colour barrier, these schools are now referred to as ex-Model C schools.
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class is approximately 25. For the learning area Technology Education learners are provided with booklets for each content area, which they keep as notes in a file.
Mr. Jasper is a white male who has been in the profession for 25 years; he has a Higher Education Diploma and is one of the senior members of staff. He has been teaching Technology Education for over seven years. Mr. Jasper is bilingual10 and has had no formal training in teaching Technology Education. According to the interview he teaches Technology Education because: “I was always able to work with my hands and make things and I am pretty clued up with that sort of thing.”
4.2.2. Miss Shanti at Wisteria Primary School
Wisteria Primary School is a private institution tucked away within an affluent residential suburb of Pinetown District. Apart from following the NCS, their curriculum is also aligned to a certain religious sector of the community. Presently they have approximately 200 learners from Grade 0 to Grade 7; however, in the years to come they hope to expand to Grade 12. The Grade 7 class consists of six learners. There is no specialised room for Technology Education. Learners work in their classroom and bring most of their own equipment and resources. The teacher provides some basic equipment. Pupils work in books and keep all design portfolios and assessments in a file.
Miss Shanti is an Indian female who has been teaching for less than two years and teaching Technology Education for just over six months. She has just completed her PGCE11 at UNISA12. Miss Shanti has no formal training in teaching Technology Education. She also studied Indian Classical Dancing in India and was initially appointed by the Board of Governors13 of Wisteria Primary to teach Arts and Culture. At the beginning of 2011 she was asked to teach Technology Education.
10Person with the ability to communicate (speak and write) in two languages, specifically relating in this study to a person who is able communicate in English and Afrikaans.
11PGCE is a Postgraduate Certificate in Education.
12The University of South Africa is a university where one studies through correspondence.
13 A group of people who oversee and manage the running of an institution.
76 4.2.3. Mr. Mario at Azalea Primary School
Azalea Primary School is an ex-Model C school that caters for children from Grade 0 to Grade 7; however, it is not equipped with the same infrastructure as Willow Primary School, but it does have necessary equipment that learners require for Technology Education. The teacher keeps the equipment in his classroom and hands it out when it is time to work. Many of the learners come from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, with English being their second language. The average class size is 30 learners per class. Learners work in books, and worksheets are run off and handed to them. All assessments are kept in files.
Mr Mario is a white male who has been in the teaching profession for about five years and has been teaching Technology Education for three years. Mr. Mario is bilingual, and having graduated from the University of KwaZulu-Natal Edgewood Campus he has had some formal training in Technology Education - he specialised in Sports Science.
4.2.4. Mr. Yadav of Hycentia Primary School
Hycentia Primary School is an ex-House of Delegates14 school situated in a middle-income group residential area that caters for children from Grade 0 to Grade 7. The children from these middle-income group families attend the neighbouring ex-Model C schools. The children that attend Hycentia Primary are from the nearby informal settlement15. The school previously had a fully equipped handwork room, but this room has been converted into a classroom. According to the Mr. Yadav not much equipment is left as the school is prone to vandalism and theft. The average class size is 35 learners and English is their second language. Pupils have books in which they work; most of their notes are handwritten, and all assessments are pasted in the work books.
Mr Yadav is an Indian male who has been teaching for approximately 12 years. Prior to teaching at Hycentia Primary he taught Design and Technology and Mathematics in London.
He initially had no formal training in Technology Education, but when in London he attended many Design and Technology workshops that enabled him to successfully teach the learning
14 Prior to democracy the educational system was determined along racial grounds. Each race group ran their own schools. The House of Delegates was the Indian run school system.
15Unplanned settlements that have no legal claim over land and are not in compliance with planning and building regulations.
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area. On arriving back in South Africa he joined Hycentia Primary and was awarded the opportunity to teach Technology Education due to his experience in London. Mr. Yadav’s interest in Technology Education continued and he attended the Engen short course16 conducted by Technology for All at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal.
Under the current dispensation, three out of the four schools that have been selected for this case study from the Pinetown District are presently classified as government schools, while Wisteria Primary is a private institution. All schools are governed by the South African Schools Act and follow the NCS.