Abstract
D.Ed.
The aim of this study was to investigate:
the causes, problems and justification of the increase in part-perspectives in faculties
of education;
the reasons for the apparent disappearance of borders between part-perspectives in
Education; and
possible criteria for the justification of existing and new part-perspectives and
modules.
The study showed that the increase in part-perspectives led to various problems in
Education, such as:
considering the own part-perspective to be more important than other partperspectives;
overlapping between part-perspectives; and
overemphasising the subdivisions of Education in stead of emphasising the
educational phenomenon as the object of investigation. There were not only historical reasons for the diversifying of Education. The difficulties
experienced in the structuring of Education were the result of the complex reality of
education in a rapid changing society. Contemporary and future trends were therefore
taken into account by the researcher because the effectiveness of faculties of education
is determined by the manner in which they respond to changes in society.
The present stance of the part-perspectives in Education was evaluated in this study in
order to find criteria for the justification of existing and new part-perspectives. These
criteria can be used as a basis for the possible restructuring of Education. The following
criteria were amongst others identified:
an educational perspective;
demarcation;
a clear problem;
theoretical accountability;
scientific justification;
expertise; and
a sound curriculum.
This study demonstrated the necessity of knowledge of the nature of an educational
perspective to enable educationists to evaluate the focus of their part-perspectives from
an authentic educational point of view.