Master of Education in Special Needs Education

Purpose

The Master Education in Special Needs Education qualification prepares researchers to contribute to the development of knowledge in the field of Education, namely Special Needs Education, and includes knowledge about professional practice.

Rationale

The rationale of the Master of Education in Special Needs Education qualification is to respond to the great need for well-trained education practitioners and entry-level scholars of the learner and learning support theory and practice. With the adoption of an inclusive education policy, South African teachers need more skills and knowledge to properly implement learner and learning support.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory module at NQF Level 9 totalling 180 Credits.

Compulsory Modules

• Research Dissertation, 180 Credits.

• Demonstrate specialist knowledge and understanding to engage and critique educational research and practices in the field of Special Needs Education and to contribute to disciplined thinking about matters and issues regarding Special Needs Education.
• Evaluate current processes of knowledge production in the field of Special Needs Education and choose appropriate processes of enquiry in the area of specialisation.
• Conduct an independent inquiry in the specialised field of Special Needs Education and report the findings in academically appropriate ways.
• Design and implement a strategy for the processing and management of information to conduct a comprehensive review of leading, and current research in Special Needs Education.
• Exhibit the potential to act as academic leaders and experts in the field of Special Needs Education.
• Demonstrate responsibility, self-reflexivity and adaptability to the ethical implications of research, and the determination of socially relevant issues and research needs in South Africa.

The following Associated Assessment Criteria will assess the Exit Level Outcomes in an integrated manner.

• Display specialist knowledge to enable engagement and critique of current research and practices in the field of Special Needs Education and to engage in systematic and disciplined thinking about educational matters and issues, with particular reference to Special Needs Education.
• Apply and develop intellectual independence and advanced research skills, sophisticated knowledge and research methodologies to solve complex, unfamiliar problems in the field of Special Needs Education.
• Analyse and apply specialised problem-solving skills in identifying, conceptualising, designing and implementing methods of enquiry to address complex and challenging problems in Special Needs Education.
• Design and implement a strategy for the processing and management of information to conduct a comprehensive review of leading, and current research in the Special Needs Education to produce significant insights.
• Engage and initiate in academic and educational discourse to report and defend substantial ideas that are the result of research in Special Needs Education.
• Plan, manage and optimise all aspects of research processes in complex and unpredictable contexts in Special Needs Education.
• Apply responsibility, self-reflexivity and adaptability in own management of learning and analyse and evaluate ethical implications of research on socially relevant issues and research needs in South Africa.

Integrated Assessment

Formative assessment during the research may be based on any of the following if required by the research topic or the discipline:

• Portfolios.
• Simulations.
• Workplace assessments.
• Group discussions.
• Presentations in front of peers and experts.
• Oral and written summative assessments.

Summative assessment takes the form of the examination of the dissertation or other acceptable forms of research output as appropriate to the field of study.