Bachelor of Education Honours in Primary Education

Purpose

In line with the Policy on the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (2011), the Bachelor of Education Honours (B Ed Hons) qualification aims to prepare teachers for research-based postgraduate studies in a field of education. It serves to consolidate and deepen the teachers' knowledge of the field and develop research capacity in the methodology and techniques of that field. The B Ed Hons qualification demands a high level of theoretical engagement and intellectual independence.

Towards achieving these aims, the curriculum takes a strong praxiological approach, with all assignments being closely related to professional practice, and the Year 2 research-based specialisms being framed as applied research. From the very first session in Year 1, learners are inducted into the multiple facets of qualitative educational research (purpose, orientations, as well as academic conventions in reading and writing about research). Through on-course activities and assignments, learners are required to engage critically and in theoretically-informed ways with current educational issues, and to consider the implications of these perspectives for their own educational practice.

Rationale

The Bachelor of Education Honours in Primary Education [B Ed Hons] qualification focuses primarily on continuing professional development for teachers (with an emphasis on critical thinking and responsiveness to educational challenges). There is a long-term need in the Eastern Cape to provide continuing teacher professional development opportunities to strengthen the quality of education in the province. The qualification focuses on laying not only a foundation of educational knowledge (the sociological, psychological and philosophical dimensions of education), but it also supports the development of applied research competence and reflexive practice for educators, and lays a foundation for future research at Master's level.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The minimum admission requirements for the Bachelor of Education Honours Degree, is a four-year professional teaching Degree or an appropriate Bachelor's Degree and a recognised professional teaching qualification or (a) four-year professional teaching qualification(s) as well as an Advanced Diploma in a cognate sub-field of Education. Because this is a professional development programme, students applying for access to this programme must be professionally qualified and thus satisfy the minimum admission requirements as stipulated in the Revised Policy on the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (2015).

The University recognizes prior learning relevant to the cognate subjects/phases obtained from other universities and from other programmes at the same level at this university, for credit bearing purposes. The RPL policy of the institution will be applied for this purpose, in that this qualification is one in which: "Limited use is made of RPL to award credits towards certain qualifications". If the applicant has previously been granted credits that are relevant to the qualification and are at the same level (level 8), and if the applicant has evidence for that, a Faculty RPL committee will follow due process to evaluate the prior learning of the student. The committee will assess the evidence provided by the applicant and a report will be submitted to the Faculty, which will decide on a ruling to be implemented, based on the report made by the committee.

Entry Requirements

• Approved Bachelor's Degree with a recognised professional teaching qualification.

Or

• A four-year professional teaching Degree.

Or

• Advanced Diploma in Education, Level 7.

This qualification consists of compulsory and elective modules at Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules: 70 Credits

• Educational Ideas and Issues, 40 Credits.
• Educational Research I, 20 Credits.
• Educational Research II, 10 Credits.

Elective Modules: 50 Credits (Choose two modules)

• Adult Education Processes, 25 Credits.
• Quality Teaching and Learning in Primary Education, 25 Credits.
• Bilingual Education for Diversity and Access, 25 Credits.
• Science Education 'A', 25 Credits.
• English Language Teaching, 25 Credits.
• Environment and Sustainability Education, 25 Credits.
• Mathematics Education 'A', 25 Credits.
• Educational Leadership and Management, 25 Credits.

• Acquire a sound knowledge base and critical understanding of education in general and of the area of specialisation in particular.
• Source, analyse and evaluate knowledge critically in the area of specialisation.
• Conduct independent inquiry in a specialised area of education, training or development, and report the findings in academically appropriate ways.
• Demonstrate the ability to act as academic leaders and/or experts in the field of education, training and development.

The following associated assessment criteria will be assessed in an integrated manner across all the Exit Level Outcomes:

• Demonstrate a critically informed understanding of national and international policy context of education in general, and of his/her area of specialisation in particular.
• Demonstrate a critically and empirically informed understanding of the sociocultural, historical and material contexts of education in general, and of his/her area of specialisation in particular.
• Identify and engage critically with a range of responses to key issues in education in general, and of his/her area of specialisation in particular.
• Engage critically with a range of academic texts relevant to the field of education.
• Critically evaluate a range of theoretical responses to an area of educational specialisation.
• Reflect critically on key educational issues from philosophical, sociological and psychological vantage points.
• Consider a range of research design options and make decisions about appropriate use of research methods.
• Reflexively apply relevant theories and concepts to data in a specified educational investigation.
• Demonstrate an understanding of and reflexive engagement with the ethics of conducting educational research.
• Demonstrate an understanding of and reflexive engagement with issues of rigour, validity and quality in educational research.
• Report on small-scale educational research in a systematic, professional and academically appropriate way.
• Think independently and critically to formulate ethical and defensible responses to key educational issues in an area of specialisation.
• Collaborate professionally with others in response to current educational issues.

Integrated Assessment

Assessment of learning on this qualification is guided by the institution's Policy on Assessment which recognises that, "although assessment functions to measure learning, it can also be used to guide and develop that learning". Both formative and summative assessment is designed to create an opportunity for learners to demonstrate through a variety of procedures how they have grown as professionals. Summative assessment consists of written examinations at the end of each year that comply with the university's Policy of Assessment, the procedures and practices. The policy stipulates that assessment should be open and transparent to students and encourages the use of multiple forms of assessment.

The institution has an external examining policy which formalises what is accepted as good practice. The assessment results are first examined internally. Once the results have been consolidated, scripts are sent to the external examiners. The assessment of learning achievements is benchmarked at the exit level of the qualification and is subjected then to external examination by appropriately qualified academics. Once the external examiners have completed the moderation of the results, they are sent to the Head of Department of the Education Department who consults with lecturers if there are borderline cases or situations where learner could not sit for the examination due to ill health. The Head of Department after finalisation of the results then forwards the mark sheets to the Registrar's office for processing.

Electives

The assessment practices of these modules differ slightly and are not itemised here. However, all these modules have formative assessment in the form of individual and group assignments, and summative assessment take the form of either a written examination in November, or a Portfolio of Evidence which includes a research report (also submitted in November).

For each module, the Final Mark will be constituted by the combined Class Mark (50%) and the Examination Mark (50%).