education FACULTY OF

The faculty of education continued to broaden and deepen its research and intellectual culture and public engagement in 2014. Its contributions in these areas, some of the highlights of which are recorded in this research report, include traditional publications, seminars, conferences, book launches, public lectures and a growing number of national and international collaborations of various kinds.

The faculty remains committed to academic and research excellence. The academe, the place where knowledge is generated, has an obligation to contribute to the global knowledge economy and local transformation through the generation of high level, scarce skills and innovative research. We strive to be an engaged faculty and at the forefront of a changing society in the field of teacher education.

It is heartening to note our growth rate in research and innovative teaching activities and how they inform each other. Our objective is not only to produce research of the highest quality, but also to contribute to solutions to problems plaguing the public school system. Rewards and incentives have been generously provided by the university to encourage and enable all academic staff to be active in research and to obtain higher qualifications, specifically the PhD. The faculty has included research time on timetables and has started a mentorship programme for established researchers to share skills with novice researchers. When every academic in the faculty is engaged with research activities, we engender a culture of intellectual interest and a community of scholars dedicated to the development of knowledge.

To this end, more researchers are encouraged to apply for NRF funding for their projects.

The Centre for International Teacher Education has spearheaded exciting longitudinal projects in the quality and training of the next generation of teachers in collaboration with the United Nations and national and international researchers. The increased funding for research projects by the NRF and external funders like CHEC is noted. The faculty has also participated in collaborative research projects with Umalusi, and the DHET.

The postgraduate programme is highly successful and it is rewarding to see the steady increase of master’s and doctoral graduates. The supervisors must be commended for helping to produce the next generation of researchers through their dedication, the prioritising of postgraduate studies in the curriculum and through the commitment to developing research capacity amongst graduate students.

CAPE H ig HE r ED u CAT i ON CONSO rT ium (CHEC) F u ND i N g r ESEA r CH & i NNO vAT i ON F u ND FO r TEACH i N g & l EA r N i N g ( ri FTA l )

Breaking new ground in education research

Dr Clive Kronenberg, a leading education and social science researcher, earned an Nrf C-rating this year. Dr Kronenberg’s research interest lies in the intersection of critical thinking with values education. He believes that students in the Western world have been exposed to a value system that is self-centered, and that this should be replaced with one based on respect, cooperation, compassion, human progress and equality.

“Students often know their rights, but scholars argue that there is a dire need for students to become more fully aware of what the concept of ‘values’ entails, as value systems ultimately form the core foundation of our social lives.” Scholars have explored the topic of values education, but Dr Kronenberg says much room exists for further exploration and development in this area.

Dr Kronenberg plays a key role in postgraduate research in the faculty of education, and has recently been tasked with developing and growing other research niche areas in the faculty. “My new profile involves developing research in the domain of rural education, whilst also empowering and managing advanced students to engage in professional research processes and mentoring staff in areas related to peer review journal publication.” u N iv E r S i T y r ESEA r CH F u ND i N g ( ur F) as one of africa’s foremost scholars on matters related to the Cuban education system, which is widely regarded as one of the most successful in the developing world, Dr Kronenberg plans to also continue his research activities in this area.