Ideguru: Jurnal Karya Ilmiah Guru

Professional Development and Support Systems for Special Education Teachers

2026-10-13T17:06:20+07:00

The purpose of this study was to explore professional development and support systems for specialised primary school teachers in managing behavioural learning problems in Madibeng, Bojanala District. The literature indicates that although teachers generally support inclusive education, inadequate training, limited resources, and concerns about their capacity to manage challenging behaviour can constrain effective inclusion. The study was guided by socio-constructivist theory, which emphasises that knowledge is developed through social interaction and cultural contexts. A qualitative research approach was employed, using one-to-one interviews to collect data from 16 purposively selected participants comprising four teachers, four principals, four School Governing Body members, and four Heads of Department. The findings indicated a positive shift in teachers’ understanding of behavioural learning problems as responses to barriers and unmet needs rather than simply misconduct. However, some teachers continued to perceive specialised settings as more appropriate for certain learners, reflecting persistent challenges regarding attitudes towards inclusion. The study concludes that ongoing professional development and support are essential for strengthening teachers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practical behaviour-management skills. It recommends district-wide Positive Behaviour Support training, mandatory workshops, peer-learning opportunities, regular monitoring of teacher attitudes, and programmes supporting teachers’ emotional well-being to promote sustainable and meaningful inclusive education.

The Effects of Adult Education Programmes on Offenders: A Case Study of Thohoyandou Correctional Centre

2026-10-13T17:06:03+07:00

Correctional‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ adult education programmes have been widely acknowledged as fundamental tools that lead to the ultimate goals of rehabilitation, reintegration, and recidivism reduction. However, the question of how effective they are, and the experiences of inmates in adult learning in South African correctional facilities, is still a vacuum that needs to be filled. This qualitative case study determined the influence of Adult Education Programmes (AEPs) on offenders at Thohoyandou Correctional Centre, Limpopo Province. The study, supported by Capital Human Theory and Rehabilitation Theory, looked at the liberating potential of adult education, its function in the rewriting of the identity, and the impact of education on the future of the offenders. Data were collected through the conduction of semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and field observations. According to the results, AEPs to a large extent, uplift the offenders' self-esteem, employment opportunities, sense of social responsibility, and personal growth even though they continuously face the challenges of limited resources, inadequately qualified teaching staff, overcrowding, and irregularity in programme delivery. The research finds that the introduction of well-designed and sufficiently funded AEPs is instrumental in the offenders' rehabilitation, the decrease in the rate of recidivism, and community reintegration. To improve program efficiency, it is suggested that the institution be more supportive, that more money be allocated, and that the program be further diversified.

Systemic and Socio-Cultural Barriers to Learner Support in Delareyville Mainstream Primary Schools

2026-10-13T17:05:08+07:00

Inclusive education in South African mainstream primary schools is supported by an extensive policy framework, yet the availability of policy does not necessarily translate into timely and effective learner support. This article examines systemic and socio-cultural barriers that affected learner support in two mainstream primary schools in Delareyville, North West province. The article draws on qualitative data from a master’s dissertation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four teachers, four School-Based Support Team members and two District-Based Support Team members, while relevant school documents were also examined. Thematic analysis generated three sub-themes: bureaucratic and administrative delays, external origins of learning barriers, and parental denial and resistance. The findings indicate that delays in referrals and approvals can restrict school-level responses, while barriers originating in family and community contexts may remain difficult for schools to address. Parental reluctance to acknowledge learning barriers can further complicate assessment, referral and placement processes. The findings suggest that effective learner support requires closer alignment between policy procedures and school-level practice, responsive district support, and respectful engagement with families. The article contributes context-specific evidence on the policy–practice gap in inclusive education in a rural South African setting.

Effective Classroom Discipline Strategies for Maintaining School Discipline in Limpopo Province, South Africa: An Exploratory Study

2026-10-13T17:05:48+07:00

Disruptive behaviour at schools has become a huge challenge whereby teachers are faced with learners who are unruly and lack respect. As the government has banished punitive measures such as flogging, effective discipline strategies such as positive reinforcement needs to be implemented so that discipline is restored and strong teacher -student relationships are restored so that the classroom and the school environment is conducive. Mixed method research was used, and the selected research design was the convergent parallel design which allowed the researcher to collect both qualitative and quantitative data as the same time. For data collection, the researcher conducted surveys and interviews of both teachers and learners and also visited previous literature on effective discipline strategies. The study intended to understand the nature, historical overview and the impacts of reactive and proactive discipline strategies together with the challenges encountered when implementing effective discipline strategies without the use of punitive measures. This study unravelled that there are other discipline measures that yield positive results, yet they require time, dedication, support and ongoing training to be fully implemented and used in different school settings with students from different cultural background.

Professional Development and Support Systems for Special Education Teachers

2026-10-13T17:05:26+07:00

Designing Assessments for Authentic Human Thinking: A Systematic Review of Assessment Frameworks Amid Generative Artificial Intelligence

2026-10-13T17:04:51+07:00

The rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has transformed higher education by enabling students to produce sophisticated academic outputs with unprecedented ease, raising concerns about the validity and authenticity of traditional assessment practices. Grounded in Situated Cognition Theory, this systematic review aimed to identify and synthesise contemporary assessment frameworks that support authentic human thinking in higher education amid the widespread adoption of GenAI. Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) framework, the review conducted a systematic search of Web of Science, ERIC, and Google Scholar, resulting in 18 studies for thematic synthesis. Findings indicate a paradigm shift from assessing knowledge products to evaluating the cognitive processes underpinning learning. Three interconnected dimensions of authentic human thinking emerged: subjective synthesis, metacognitive dialogue, and situated judgement. The review proposes a conceptual framework that integrates these dimensions to inform the redesign of assessments in AI-mediated learning environments. The framework provides practical guidance for lecturers, curriculum designers, institutional leaders, and policymakers seeking to develop valid, credible, and educationally meaningful assessment practices.