Abstract
D.Ed. (Didactic Education)
The school, society (from a cultural perspective) and the tension between forces of commonality and
diversity form the theme of this thesis.
The problem ofthis research revolves around the question of how the tension between commonality
and diversity manifests itself in the school.
The aims of the research are as follows:
to identify elements which seek commonality and create diversity, which in the cultural
context lead to tension in the community;
to describe the way in which this tension manifests itself in the school; and
to summarise the universal reaction of the school to this tension in categories which may
serve as a model according to which the school can be studied.
The results are as follows:
a full array of elements through the ages could be identified which, because ofchange in
the community, caused (causes) tension between commonality and diversity; commonality
seeking or diversity creating tendencies influence the school as an instrument of
enculturation;
the school (of all times) then gives expression to this tension between commonality and
diversity by means of dimensions which display specific universal features;
these universal features are classifiedanddescribedin four categories: change takes place
in the school because ofchange in the community; change gives expression to structuring
in the school according to form and content; this takes place to create equilibrium in
accordance with tendencies in the community in a situation of tension; and equilibrium
is necessary to avert conflict;
the four categories arc also interrelated in an equilibrium seeking and
conflict averting manner - presumably optimum efficiency AND effectiveness
can be reached when the school succeeds in maintaining a
balance in the categorial structure; and
to be able to do this, the probable option for the school is not an "eitheror"
one, but an "and-and" choice - this means that the school should be
structured because of changes in the community, in such a manner that
it maintains equilibrium between commonality and diversity and simultaneously
averts conflict.
Finally the categories ofthe reaction ofthe school to the tensions betweencommonality and diversity
are described from a South African perspective, in orderto ponray how the South African school
adapted to change, how schools arc structured, how the school strives towards equilibrium and how
it handles conflict. It again becomes clear that in the South African situation only one school model
does not contribute to averting conflict in its equilibrium seeking role. Therefore, a multiple-model
approach to both commonality seeking and diversity creating needs of the community, seems
probably to be the most desirable option for schools to fulfill their mission.