Abstract
Research on pedagogy and practice in the post
apartheid South Africa shows that
policy formulation and transformation placed more emphasis on reintroduction of
democratic values in the school curriculum. This study sought to empirically
investigate the implications stronger faster pacing rules inherent in the Curriculum
and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) on democratic access to Grade 10
Business Studies knowledge in historically disadvantaged schools based in rural
villages. The stud y is informed by Bernstein’s (2003) theory that stronger pacing
rules of the pedagogic discourse carries invisible social class assumptions. The
conceptual tool employed in this study is Bernstein’s (1993) theory of pedagogic
discourse and their modalities which provides conceptualisation of organisational,
discursive, and transmission practices in pedagogic agencies. The following main
question was asked: “What are the implications of the CAPS pacing rules for
democratic access to subject knowledge in hist orically disadvantaged village based
schools?” and supported by the following sub questions: “How are CAPS pacing
rules implemented in village schools?”, “What are teachers’ experiences of the CAPS
pacing?”, and “How do learners experience the pacing rules ?”. Based in the
qualitative research paradigm, semi structured interviews were used in conjunction
with lesson observations as primary instruments of data collection. Purposive
sampling was used to sample three teachers and 6 learners from three historica lly
disadvantaged schools based in rural villages. Site selection sampling was used to
define the criteria for selecting sites of inquiry.
Findings of this study revealed that pacing requirements structuring the CAPS
curriculum does not support conceptual learning. The d egree of specificity regarding
allocation of time to activities fosters a pedagogic exchange which emphasises
curriculum coverage at the expense of conceptual learning. Although theory points
out that pedagogy in the official instructional t ime ought to be aided by learning in the
learner’s home, the present study has revealed that learners in the context cannot
establish and/or access a functional site of learning in their homes.
It was recommended that CAPS pacing be revised, and the replac
ement pacing
requirements pay specific attention to the conditions within which curriculum
requirements are to be implemented. Participants held that CAPS pacing is too rapid
to adhere to. It was also recommended that teachers pay specific attention to the
prevalent erosion of instructional time and employ strategies to minimise
unnecessary wastage.
Keywords:
classification; framing; Pacing; Pedagogic codes; Pedagogic
discourse; post apartheid curriculum
ABBREVIATIONS
ATP
Annual Teaching Plan