Continuing professional development for teachers in South Africa and social learning systems: conflicting conceptual frameworks of learning

Abstract

Continuing professional development for teachers in South Africa and social learning systems: conflicting conceptual frameworks of learning To transform education in this country, South African teachers need to be appropriately equipped to meet the evolving challenges and needs of the country. The national policy framework for teacher education and development is an attempt to address the need for suitably qualified teachers in South Africa. Its aim is to improve the quality of education by focusing on the professional development of teachers. This article attempts to address the following research problem: Does continuing professional development for teachers (CPDT), as stipulated by the national policy framework, have the potential to contribute to the development of teachers as proposed by social learning systems? The answer to this question has the potential to inform and influence the policy and its implementation. The answer also describes how conceptual frameworks for learning in Wenger's social learning systems conflict with effective professional development (PD) programmes and CPDT. Continuing professional development for teachers in South Africa ... Opsomming Voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling vir onderwysers in Suid-Afrika en sosiale leersisteme: konflikterende konseptuele raamwerke vir leer Ten einde onderwys in Suid-Afrika te verander, is dit nodig dat onderwysers toepaslik toegerus sal word om aan die uitdagings en behoeftes in die ontwikkelende land te beantwoord. Die nasionale beleidsraamwerk vir onderwysersopleiding en-ont-wikkeling is 'n poging om die behoefte aan geskikte gekwalifi-seerde onderwysers in Suid-Afrika te hanteer. Die doel daarvan is om die gehalte van onderwys te verbeter deur te fokus op die professionele ontwikkeling van onderwysers. Hierdie artikel poog om die volgende navorsingsprobleem te behandel: het voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling (VPOO), soos gestipu-leer deur die nasionale beleidsraamwerk, die potensiaal om by te dra tot die ontwikkeling van onderwysers, soos voorgestel deur sosiale leersisteme? Die antwoord op hierdie vraag het die potensiaal om die beleid en die implementering daarvan te beïnvloed. Die vraag beskryf ook hoe die konseptuele raam-werke van leer in Wenger se sosiale leerteorie in konflik is met effektiewe professionele ontwikkelingsprogramme vir onder-wysers en VPOO.