Records management in government schools in South Africa: a case study in Limpopo province

Purpose This study aims to investigate records management in selected government schools in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a qualitative research approach to collect in-depth data from the principals or administrators working as records managers at the school level. In all, a sample of principals and administrators from seven schools were interviewed face-to-face to enable the researcher to visit the schools in person. Findings The findings indicate that although the principals or administrators make concerted efforts to manage school records, there is no uniform system in place for this purpose. This results in haphazard record keeping and records management at the schools. The study recommends that the Department of Basic Education in Limpopo develop a file plan or model for schools to use to manage records uniformly in a standardised manner that would support accountability, transparency and good governance. Research limitations/implications The study was limited to seven primary schools in Lebopo Circuit, Limpopo province and secondary schools were excluded. Practical implications The author obtained a thorough understanding and direct insight into how principals or administrators manage school records. This study makes recommendations for the effective management of records in government schools. Originality/value This is one of the few research papers on records management in government schools in South Africa.

Teachers' Predictions and Pupil Achievement in School Certificate

<p>This thesis examines the estimates of pupils' performances in School Certificate made by teachers at Hutt Valley High School over a six year period. It aims to assess the degree of accuracy of teacher predictions, in particular at the pass/fail boundary, and to identify and evaluate the relative importance of some correlates of accurate prediction. The data for this study is taken from school records showing for each class the name of the teacher and the estimated and achieved marks of each pupil in School Certificate for the period 1973 to 1978. The statistical analyses include the calculation of the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient between the estimated and achieved marks of pupils in English, Mathematics, Science and French. Expectancy tables are provided to give greater detail of the accuracy of teacher's estimates at different points across the mark range. A multiple regression analysis is carried out in order to identify and evaluate the relative importance of some correlates of accurate prediction. The statistical section concludes with a summary analysis of the data from the subjects for the year following the major analysis. The results of the study show that the correlations between the estimated and achieved marks are greater in Mathematics and French than in English and Science, however, the estimated and achieved class means across subjects show greatest agreement in English and least agreement in Mathematics. Whilst variations across subjects and across years occur, in general teachers show a tendency to underestimate pupils at the upper end of the ability range and overestimate the marks of pupils at other points of the scale. A movement of approximately 16.5% across the pass/fail boundary was observed when comparing the estimated and achieved marks of pupils. The study also concludes that the only factor to reveal a substantial and systematic link with the quality of teachers' predictions was the ability level of the class under analysis - teachers were generally more able to predict the results of their pupils for higher ability than lower ability classes (English excepted).</p>

Teachers' Predictions and Pupil Achievement in School Certificate

<p>This thesis examines the estimates of pupils' performances in School Certificate made by teachers at Hutt Valley High School over a six year period. It aims to assess the degree of accuracy of teacher predictions, in particular at the pass/fail boundary, and to identify and evaluate the relative importance of some correlates of accurate prediction. The data for this study is taken from school records showing for each class the name of the teacher and the estimated and achieved marks of each pupil in School Certificate for the period 1973 to 1978. The statistical analyses include the calculation of the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient between the estimated and achieved marks of pupils in English, Mathematics, Science and French. Expectancy tables are provided to give greater detail of the accuracy of teacher's estimates at different points across the mark range. A multiple regression analysis is carried out in order to identify and evaluate the relative importance of some correlates of accurate prediction. The statistical section concludes with a summary analysis of the data from the subjects for the year following the major analysis. The results of the study show that the correlations between the estimated and achieved marks are greater in Mathematics and French than in English and Science, however, the estimated and achieved class means across subjects show greatest agreement in English and least agreement in Mathematics. Whilst variations across subjects and across years occur, in general teachers show a tendency to underestimate pupils at the upper end of the ability range and overestimate the marks of pupils at other points of the scale. A movement of approximately 16.5% across the pass/fail boundary was observed when comparing the estimated and achieved marks of pupils. The study also concludes that the only factor to reveal a substantial and systematic link with the quality of teachers' predictions was the ability level of the class under analysis - teachers were generally more able to predict the results of their pupils for higher ability than lower ability classes (English excepted).</p>

Some Aspects of Maori Urban Migration: a Psychological Study

<p>Following a discussion of some of the implications of urban migration and culture change, predictions were made about the comparative levels of the adjustment of Maori and European, urban and rural, migrant and non-migrant fourteen year old boys. Data for the study were gathered from 306 subjects in a survey of the Wellington and East Coast areas of New Zealand. Four objective measures were developed for the survey and these, together with a structured interview and data from school records were used to assess interpersonal adjustment, competence, and intrapersonal adjustment. Some additional measures related to Maoriness, migration contact and orientation, and educational attitudes. It was observed during detailed analysis of the data, that contact with migrants and an orientation towards migration are significantly more frequently reported by Maori and rural than by European and urban groups, that there were no significant differences in the adjustment of rural and urban samples (though it was noted that on every measure the scores favoured the urban Maori over the rural Maori group), and that on all the measures of adjustment the European group scored higher than the Maori group. A factor analysis provided some insights into the source and significance of "Maoriness" , and aided the interpretation of scores obtained by the Maori sample on a number of variables. Three major conclusions were drawn from the study. First that although differences between the separate groups were often small, there is a significant trend for urban Europeans to show the best adjustment, followed in order by the rural Europeans, urban Maoris and rural Maoris. Second, that the rural Maori group as potential migrants, obtained significantly lower scores than did the potential recipients, the urban European group, on all the measures of adjustment. Finally that rural-urban and inter-city migration appear to have no effect on the adjustment levels at fourteen years of age, of either Maori or European boys, a finding which raises questions about the specific effects of migration on the adjustment of individuals.</p>

Some Aspects of Maori Urban Migration: a Psychological Study

<p>Following a discussion of some of the implications of urban migration and culture change, predictions were made about the comparative levels of the adjustment of Maori and European, urban and rural, migrant and non-migrant fourteen year old boys. Data for the study were gathered from 306 subjects in a survey of the Wellington and East Coast areas of New Zealand. Four objective measures were developed for the survey and these, together with a structured interview and data from school records were used to assess interpersonal adjustment, competence, and intrapersonal adjustment. Some additional measures related to Maoriness, migration contact and orientation, and educational attitudes. It was observed during detailed analysis of the data, that contact with migrants and an orientation towards migration are significantly more frequently reported by Maori and rural than by European and urban groups, that there were no significant differences in the adjustment of rural and urban samples (though it was noted that on every measure the scores favoured the urban Maori over the rural Maori group), and that on all the measures of adjustment the European group scored higher than the Maori group. A factor analysis provided some insights into the source and significance of "Maoriness" , and aided the interpretation of scores obtained by the Maori sample on a number of variables. Three major conclusions were drawn from the study. First that although differences between the separate groups were often small, there is a significant trend for urban Europeans to show the best adjustment, followed in order by the rural Europeans, urban Maoris and rural Maoris. Second, that the rural Maori group as potential migrants, obtained significantly lower scores than did the potential recipients, the urban European group, on all the measures of adjustment. Finally that rural-urban and inter-city migration appear to have no effect on the adjustment levels at fourteen years of age, of either Maori or European boys, a finding which raises questions about the specific effects of migration on the adjustment of individuals.</p>

An African School for African Americans: Black Demands for Education in Antebellum Boston

This article examines Black parents’ efforts to establish and secure quality education for their children in antebellum Boston, Massachusetts. It situates the African School, a Black-owned cultural institution, within Black nationalist politics and reveals how the schoolhouse became a site of political tension between Black Bostonians and the Boston School Committee. Analyzing petitions, school records, and newspapers, this essay finds that the African School cultivated Black citizenship ideologies that prioritized political activism. This study invites new understandings of the political intersections of education and citizenship, and it illuminates the utility of Black nationalism in antebellum Boston.

Retrospective survey of youth sports participation: Development and assessment of reliability using school records

Many youths participate in sports, and it is of interest to understand the impact of youth sports participation on later-life outcomes. However, prospective studies take a long time to complete and retrospective studies may be more practical and time-efficient to address some questions. We pilot a retrospective survey of youth sports participation and examine agreement between respondent’s self-reported participation with high school records in a sample of 84 adults who graduated from high school between 1948 and 2018. The percent agreement between our survey and the school resources for individual sports ranged between 91.5% and 100%. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the reliability of retrospective self-report of youth sports participation. This survey may serve as an efficient approach for evaluating relationships between involvement in youth sports and health outcomes later in adulthood.