Table 4.13 reveals perceptions of respondents regarding their skills to become more of a facilitator than a dictator. A total of 1.1 % disagrees, 20.0 % agree and 78.9 % strongly agree on this issue. This data allows the researcher to believe that the skill of facilitation was a new and critical tool to learn within the OBE philosophy. Exposure to ICCE was addressing the traditional one-man show of teaching by meeting one of the significant roles of the teacher as articulated in the Norms and Standard document of (2000) that teachers should perform as facilitators of learning.
I believe that changing teachers’ mode of thinking to be facilitators is a skill that needed a mind shift that could not be easily acquired through the once off exposure through the short-term courses. Constant exposure with on-going practice through the support of other colleagues in a peer-driven model who are also in the same learning curve is crucial.
These comments were endorsed by Morton Andersen who trained as a facilitator:
The crucial aspect of this methodology was the fact that it continuously prompted me to think deeply, as to who I am and it was very engaging giving me meaning. This approach was very much hands-on, helping me make that paradigm shift. Preaching that we were exposed to when we were trained to be teachers was not part of this mode of training.
This comment resonates with the Ikhwezi model that insisted of facilitation and not teaching. The impact noted by Morton ensured that he had to make that shift and not teach like the way he was
taught. More research needs to be done to monitor and support teachers in their classrooms as they deliver on acquired skills.
RESPONDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS REGARDING FACILITATION SKILLS AND INFLUENCE OF LEADERSHIP STYLES
Table 4.35 reveals perceptions of respondents regarding facilitation skills and influence of leadership styles. A total of 3.2 % are neutral, 28.4 % agree, 68.4 % strongly agree that the facilitation skills have improved leadership styles. Amongst the trainees, there were those who were in management either as Principals, Deputy Principals, or Heads of Department. Their roles within the new dispensation had to change to suite the times. Data reveals that there is a score of 96.8% of respondents whose leadership styles at work changed tremendously after exposure to ICCE training. Mr Zwide a Principal at Ziko when interviewed maintained:
,…. I have learnt through INSET to work harmoniously with all the stakeholders. Leadership styles has really helped as well as good governance and financial management are skills that I learnt through Ikhwezi helped the school to become the force in terms of knowledge…..
It has always been the main aim of the Ikhwezi model to have school mangers exposed to PD with the belief that they (principals) are at the core of school-based CPD. If the school principals have not bought to the significance of PD, schools would normally be dysfunctional.
RESPONDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS REGARDING THEIR ABILITY TO FACILITATE ACTIVITIES
Table 4.40 reveals perceptions of respondents regarding their ability to facilitate activities. A total of 88.4 % said yes, 11.6% said no to the statement. The practice of facilitating was also ushered in with the new democracy within the South African concept of teaching. The skill to facilitate was made imperative through policies like Curriculum 2005; Norms and Standards for Teachers (2000) articulating the significance of facilitating as one of the roles of teachers. The high percentage of 88.4% of teachers from table 4.40 above indicated that through the training programme, they have benefited and are now able to facilitate an activity. Makhosi Mtaka ,a teacher at uMsinga had this to say from her journal:
I was using it for the first time and I was scared. These are not available in our schools, but I find them useful instead of the chalk boards- they save time
To facilitate Ikhwezi activities Makhosi had to learn how to use an overhead projector which she found useful though intimidating at first. This resonates with the many teachers who have to implement a highly sophisticated curriculum like OBE without the relevant skills and or appropriate skills.
RESPONDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS REGARDING TEAMS AND CO-FACILITATION
Table 4.43 reveals perceptions of respondents regarding teams and co-facilitation. A total of 2.1
% are neutral, 32.6 % agree, 65.3 % strongly agree. The results from this data reveal that while 2.1% of respondents were not sure weather working in teams and co-facilitation was beneficial. A high response (97.9%)strongly agreed with the statement. This could be interpreted to mean that team work and co-facilitation were well received democratic practices. The new democratic policies in South Africa like the Country’s constitution, Norms and Standards for Teachers, the national critical cross-field outcomes endorse the significance of producing citizens that can work together in teams. Co-facilitation during training seems to have encouraged the shift from individual to team delivery.
ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF JOURNAL FINDINGS AS PROVIDED BY THE TRAINED FACILITATORS
In this section I present an analysis of the journals as provided by the trained facilitators (Appendix A). A group of 15 facilitators trained in the various learning areas were given journals to keep for a period of six months to record their experiences. In the analysis of the journals the researcher has identified a number of themes which can be categorised as opportunities presented and challenges identified.
Opportunities Presented Teamwork
The information gleaned from journals clearly indicates that attending the facilitation course at Ikhwezi has undoubtedly encouraged teamwork.
Data from journals revealed the following:
That the acquired training made facilitators extremely confident. This confidence encouraged teamwork as they we able to make contact with facilitators from different environments. This way they were exposed to different perspectives of the nature of facilitation and to life experiences of the facilitators. The teamwork spirit also benefited the trained facilitators in how to design lesson plans the OBE way, as well as how to be good facilitators in workshops embracing the co-operative learning approach much needed in integrating learning areas . Dr Mandawe in his journal mentioned that:
….I also benefited on how to design lesson plans in OBE, and how to facilitate in workshops.
The exposure to Ikhwezi model allowed them an opportunity to share many experiences allowing them to generate ideas which contributed to extending heir vision on how to improve teaching skills in OBE.
These facilitators also felt that the training approach of facilitation enabled them to benefit in different ways. They felt they were developing continuously as teachers as they were now able to work with other teachers without feeling ashamed of exposing their ignorance as they had the opportunity of asking their team members. They learnt how to accept their mistakes without feeling degraded. Day (1999: 161) confirms this argument thus:
“ self and peer confrontation, and sharing of insights gained from this are essential ingredients in the professional learning. Change means the private assumptions and practices must be shared and opened up for questioning by self and scrutiny by others.”
Ikhwezi offered this kind of CPD platform.
They also learnt the new approach of using a variety of skills of presenting lessons to gain the same knowledge. They also learnt how to acknowledge the presence of others, to share ideas with others, learn from others that one aspect could be present in many different ways, using different skills to gain the same knowledge respecting different opinions.
Confidence in Preparing and Delivering a Workshop
Confidence also came across as an area highly acknowledged by trained facilitators in the following manner:
The training they received enhanced their confidence in various ways. They could now
ensure that trust with the school management team is developed by encouraging that teachers give feedback on the school workshops as a means of cascading skills acquired from Ikhwezi training. Sphandla Mzolo, once a school-based facilitator confirmed thus:
The style used at Ikwezi helps trainees to gain confidence
Some facilitators have introduced platforms in their schools that every Wednesday they could reflect on their needs of development as teachers, reviewing school policies, and the constitution of the school.
At a class level, the training was of benefit because they felt that they could now develop and produce better quality of work, teaching with confidence.
Dr Mandawe claims:
“…at a classroom level, my teaching has become better and better. At first, I used to teach English, but now I develop learners holistically….I also benefited in how to designs lesson plan in OBE…
Some felt that their work was now neater and well integrated.
One facilitator felt that she now was an asset for her school, with teachers not longer hesitating to come to her for help. She felt she was now an aid to all school phases during planning and even in application of certain skills in Arts. If a colleague is having a birthday or other occasions, she is the one to do the greeting or sympathy cards if not by her class kids. This made her happy because she could see her talent being extended to other colleagues.
Those facilitators in management positions as HODs found it easy to pass knowledge. The skill of co-facilitation was noticed by some facilitators to have contributed towards building their self-confidence, team spirit developing a need to further studies. Mr Zwide, a school principal confirms:
“I learnt at Ikhwezi about participatory management where you allow more participation of stakeholders, a democratic participation where even a new teacher or child at school will be given a kind of platform to contribute ….for the development of the school
This kind of response resonates with the approach of the model which ensured that not only teachers were exposed to CPD programmes offered. Capacitated managers contribute greatly to whole school development and improvement
Acquisition of Facilitation Skills
Through the training approach at Ikhwezi, facilitators noted that they had to twice attend a three- day facilitation skills workshop. Skill acquired through the method used for facilitation benefited them in the following manner:
At a class level, they felt that they learnt that in order to achieve an outcome, one has to give pupils more activities to perform. They learnt the learner centered approach, allowing them to lead the lesson and assist them with little assistance where they find difficulties.
Debriefing is one of the skills that facilitators were not mindful of until they had the training exposure at Ikhwezi. After contact with the facilitators at Ikhwezi, this skill was applied and found to be very productive. Morton Andersen a school-based Ikhwezi trained facilitator confirms this by saying:
I am able to read the policy document with understanding and other related documents such as RNCS. I am able to implement the OBE following its methodology of implementation such a learning programmes, related steps to be followed as well as the related activities to achieve learning and specific outcomes.
The college has developed me professionally by rendering these refresher courses because this is a new curriculum of which the practitioners have to be abreast with new knowledge...
That workshops on skills for the implementation of Art and Culture helped them pay more attention to the learning programmes, the related critical outcomes and their specific outcomes as well as using the policy document as a source of reference.
The hands-on workshop aimed at imparting skills so that learners could create projects in areas of Art and Culture such as visual art, drama, music and dance. Those teachers who never had exposure to handling and teaching Arts and Culture during their teacher training programmes, found this part of training extremely useful as they had to work in-depth when covering these areas.
Facilitators benefited skills in their participation in the test course as they had to do intensive preparation for the facilitation skills workshop. This exposure enhanced the
in-depth preparation and understanding of the Learning Areas like Arts and Culture, filling in the knowledge gaps they had prior to the training at Ikhwezi.
As a result of these workshops by Ikhwezi facilitators were now able to facilitate the Arts and Culture both in their schools, as well as serving as district facilitator and regional facilitation for the Department of Education and Culture.
The process of training by Ikhwezi covers a crucial peer and individual assessment period Facilitators have commented to the fact that this part of training has given them confidence as they did not feel judged but empowered to do better. This assessment process was found to be more developmental than otherwise.
After the initial training sessions, there is a Test Course where trainees had to demonstrate the acquired skills and knowledge of facilitation. Facilitators felt that the Test Courses developed self-confidence and self-reliance in preparing worksheets and handouts, organizing and running workshops for a school/s and a circuit. Even those who were using gudgets like Overhead projectors for the first time had a lot to learn.
Makhosi Mtaka from uMsinga in a focus group interview had this to say:
I was using it for the first time and I was scared. These are not available in our schools, but I find them useful instead of the chalk boards- they save time
Huge number schools especially in the rural areas do not have resources, hence teachers coming into training without exposure on how to use facilities like overhead projectors. Makhosi’s statement indicates the crucial area of need for PD support in the schools for teachers to enhance effective teaching and learning.
RESPONDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS REGARDING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CO- FACILITATION AND INDIVIDUAL FACILITATION
Table 4.26 reveals perceptions of respondents regarding the effectiveness of co-facilitation and individual facilitation. A total of 2.1 % disagree, 1.1 % are neutral, 23.2 % agree, 73.7 % strongly agree. This data allows the researcher to argue for a need for team teaching approach in the delivery of the new national curriculum initiatives. The 96.9% respondents felt that co-facilitation made them to be more effective. Teachers prior to their training were not exposed to co- presentation. The common South African practice has been that of individual teaching as against team- teaching. Benefits of team teaching are supported by Day (1999;: 161 who says “Self and peer confrontation, and the sharing of insights gained from this are essential ingredients in the
professional learning. Change means that private assumptions and practices must be shared and opened up for questioning by self and scrutiny by others.”
The peer-driven model used at ICCE embraced to concept of UBUNTU, which encouraged sharing as against the individualistic philosophy, which focuses on the self. This philosophy is also enshrined both in our constitution as well as in one of the cross-field outcomes that aims at producing citizens who can work together.
Makhosi a facilitator, comments about co-facilitation during her Test-Course:
During the second-slot I was very nervous. I was thinking very much about the active participants, and me with my rural background from uMsinga, I was very nervous. Support from the experienced facilitators gave me confidence- the level of co-facilitation was extremely high-trust from facilitators gave me confidence
Makhosi’s experiences within the model highlights the significance of exposure to teamwork. Her insecurities about her rural background emerged as the pressures of teacher’s identities which can hinder their professional development in the absence of support. Her exposure to Ikhwezi’s model also highlights the benefits of having teachers with different backgrounds, working to together. Of significance here is the perception of inferiority given her rural area background. Models of PD need to take into cognisance teacher’s identities and contextual conditions Samuel (2006).
6.16 BE-RELATED ISSUES
RESPONDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS REGARDING ICCE INVOLVEMENT AND UNDERSTANDING OBE
Table 4.18 reveals perceptions of respondents regarding involvement at ICCE, and understanding of the Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) policy. A total of 1.1 % disagree, 10.5 % neutral, 38.9
% agree, 49.5 % strongly agree. OBE is a sophisticated philosophy that was ushered in with a number of OBE terms that needed unpacking through English, which is a second language to most of the teachers. There were a number of two to five-day workshops that were organized through the Department of Education that addressed OBE Some of the identified trainees were facilitators for other Units like the Curriculum Unit. The participative and ‘hands on” approach used at ICCE did clarify a number of grey areas hence the high percentage of 87.5% of respondents who
agree and strongly agree that their understanding improved as ICCE trainees. Thuli, a focus-group participant explains the ICCE training by saying:
It goes in line with the OBE approach as we have to work in groups – in the buzz groups we have to give activities for participants. This helps them to unlock the knowledge they may have.
Morton Andersen, in his case-study comments says:
My involvement at Ikhwezi has had a positive impact, especially with the newly introduced OBE policy. I have been able to interpret
and apply OBE policy with great ease using the skills and tools gained through my involvement from 1997 to date. I was able to tackle the
nationally designed policy and practised it in my classroom. The hands-on approach of the Ikhwezi methods empowered me to tackle or implement OBE in school in teamwork situations.
In his journal Dr Mandawe illustrates that he believes that the acquired skills have impacted on his teaching philosophy:
At a classroom level, my teaching has become better and better. At first I used to teach English, but now I develop the learners
holistically.I also benefited from how to design lesson plans in OBE and how to facilitate in workshops.
RESPONDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF OBE
Table 4.21 reveals perceptions of respondents regarding the implementation of the OBE. A total of 1.1 % disagrees, 7.4 % are neutral, 50.5 % agree, 41.1 % strongly agree that they now are able to implement OBE.
Data at this point reveals that not only were trainees given an opportunity to better understand the new curriculum, but also the hands on approach further enhanced their confidence of implementing OBE. Morton Andersen a school-based Ikhwezi trained facilitator confirms this by saying:
My involvement at Ikhwezi has had a positive impact especially with the newly introduced OBE policy. I have been able to interpret and apply OBE policy with great ease using the skills and tools gained through my involvement at Ikhwezi since 1997. I was able to tackle the nationally designed policy and practised it in my classroom. The hands-on approach of the Ikhwezi methods empowered me to tackle or implement the OBE in school teamwork situations.
This data allows the researcher to argue for the importance of using a transformative social- constructivist model when introducing curriculum policies to teachers that were not trained in similar paradigms. The researcher is also mindful of the small percentage of participants responding negatively which calls for constant review of the programmes offered so as to improve on quality.
RESPONDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR OBE KNOWLEDGE
Table 4.22 reveals perceptions of respondents regarding their knowledge of the OBE. A total of 1.1 % disagrees, 5.3 % are neutral, 44.2 % agree, 49.5 % strongly agree. These results permit the researcher to believe that OBE as a new and sophisticated curriculum. To ensure better understanding of some of the new and complicated concepts like- range statements; teachers needed to be exposed to an on-going transformative model, instead of a once-off three or five-day session. OBE courses are not to be viewed as an add-on to the already existing knowledge, but a totally new concept as teachers were never exposed to it during the pre-service training.
Information from the journals confirms this by saying:
At the school where I’m educating, I am able to work with colleagues as a team, by implementing the skills that I have acquired at
Ikhwezi. Sometimes I take the lead since I have been equipped with more knowledge and leadership skills. Since the
unpacking process is very slow, but by attending the College continuously, I will comprehend these principles, I hope.
RESPONDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS REGARDING OBE FACILITATION SKILLS
Table 4.23 reveals perceptions of respondents regarding the facilitation skills of OBE. A total of 2.1 % disagree, 6.3 % are neutral, 41.1 % agree, 50.5 % strongly agree the statement that the facilitation skills had given them a better understanding of OBE. The results from this table