A retrospective study on transforming a mainstream school into a full-service school

Abstract

In South Africa the inclusive trend grew stronger since the White paper 6’s release. The need for a more integrated school was called upon by the Department of Education. The Department of Education selected 30 schools which represents a district to start the transformation process. Through guidelines written by the Department of Education it seemed that when mainstream schools are transformed to the phenomena of Full-service schools by the Department of Education or through themselves, many changes take place. However, there seemed to be a gap in literature regarding the changes taking place, this gap guided this research dissertation. This retrospective study was undertaken to gain insight into the transformation process and thereby into the change towards inclusive education. As a descriptive study on the transformation of one particular school it could also assist other schools that are on their way to such a transformation. The research approach adopted was qualitative process to gain insight and understanding of the changes made, but especially the role players’ attitude and feelings towards this change into a full-service school. Insight into this transformation process could provide insight to inclusive education, with an interpretivist paradigm, and applied to a single-case study (Stake 1995). Data collection consisted of open-ended interviews, visual diary and field notes. Additional documents were received from the school and the Department of Education and were included in this study.Codes for classifying the interview responses were predetermined (a priori coding) and designated as Microsystem, Macrosystem, Leadership and Management, Culture, Identity, Strategy, Structures/Procedures, Physical changes, Technical support and Human resources, as set out by the framework of Lazarus and Davidoff (1997:17). The interviews were open-ended. Visual data were collected to illustrate contrasts and similarities between conditions before and after the transition. The data obtained about the transition process were discussed using the a priori coding categories and drawing parallels to the existing literature. This research recommends and highlights significant aspects of the transition process leading to a full-service school. AFRIKAANS : In Suid-Afrika het die tendens van inklusiwiteit sterker geword sedert die vrystelling van Witskrif 6. Die Departement van Onderwys het ’n beroep gedoen dat daar voldoen moet word aan die behoefte aan skole met groter integrasie. Die Departement van Onderwys het 30 skole, wat ’n distrik verteenwoordig, gekies om met die transformasieproses te begin. Riglyne opgestel deur die Departement van Onderwys het getoon dat wanneer hoofstroomskole getransformeer word na voldiensskole, hetsy deur die Departement van Onderwys of deur hulself, daar baie veranderinge plaasvind. Daar is egter ’n gaping in die literatuur met betrekking tot die veranderinge wat plaasvind, en hierdie gaping het gelei tot die navorsingsverhandeling. Hierdie studie het slegs op die kwalitatiewe navorsingsproses staatgemaak om insig en begrip te verkry oor die veranderinge wat gemaak is, maar veral ook oor die rolspelers se houding en gevoelens teenoor hierdie verandering in ’n voldiensskool. Insig in hierdie transformasieproses kan insig gee in inklusiewe onderwys. Deur die transformasieproses te verstaan, kan skole gehelp word met hul eie transformasie na voldiensskole. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die oorgangsproses van ’n voldiensskool te verstaan en te interpreteer. Vir hierdie doel is ’n kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering saam met ’n interpretivistiese paradigma gebruik. Daarvoor het ek ’n enkele gevallestudie gebruik (Stake, 1995). Data-insameling het bestaan uit oop onderhoude, ’n visuele dagboek en veldnotas. Addisionele dokumente is van die skool en die Departement van Onderwys ontvang en is in hierdie studie ingesluit. Kodes is vooraf bepaal, naamlik mikro- en makrostelsels, leierskap en bestuur, kultuur, identiteit, strategie, strukture/prosedures, fisiese veranderinge, tegniese ondersteuning en menslike hulpbronne, soos uiteengesit in die raamwerk van Lasarus en Davidoff (1997:17). Hierdie proses van kodering word ook priori-kodering genoem, aangesien die onderhoude vooraf bepaal is. Die visuele data is voor en na die oorgang geneem om die kontraste en ooreenkomste duidelik te toon. Nadat parallelle tussen die relevante literatuur en priori-data geïdentifiseer is, is die data van die oorgangsproses bespreek. Hierdie navorsing beklemtoon belangrike faktore wat in gedagte gehou moet word tydens ’n oorgangsproses na ’n voldiensskool, en maak ook aanbevelings.