SES Colloquium: 1-3 September 2016

The Centre for the Study of Resilience (CSR), Faculty of Education, University of Pretoria and The College of Education, UNISA co-hosted an invitational meeting with education researchers from nine South African universities (Tshwane University of Technology; Northwest University; University of Kwazulu-Natal; University of South Africa; University of Pretoria; University of the Freestate; University of Limpopo; University of Johannesburg and University of the Witwatersrand) to develop an implementable research agenda on how research can be useful for quality, equity and social cohesion in education in South Africa given structural disparity. The breakaway deliberation on Schools as Enabling Systems: How can research findings inform learning and wellbeing in high risk and high need schools?, took place at the Farm Inn Country Hotel & Wildlife Sanctuary from 1 to 3 September 2016. These invitational group discussions over two days were facilitated by Prof David Osher, Vice President and Institute Fellow: American Institutes for Research as well as Dr Felice Levine, Executive Director: American Education Research Association and President, World Education Research Association. Please click on the researcher’s presentation title to view a summary of available presentations:

Person	Institution	Designation	Email address	Presentation title
Anil Kanjee	Tshwane University of Technology	Research Professor	[email protected]	Enhancing the use of Assessment for Learning in South African classrooms: Addressing the equity challenge
Ansie Kitching	Northwest University	Senior Lecturer	[email protected]	Developing an integrated multi-level process to facilitate holistic well-being in SA schools
Arvin Bhana	Health Systems Research Unit, MRC University of Kwazulu-Natal	Chief Specialist Scientist Associate Professor	[email protected]	Systemic intervention: Secondary analysis of adolescent research over time
Beverly Feldman	University of South Africa	Lecturer	[email protected]	New to academics -Building teacher resilience, resourcefulness and self-empowerment through self-directed learning
Brigitte Smit	University of South Africa	Professor	[email protected]	Relational leadership and an ethics of care for an enabling educational space
Chantel Weber	University of South Africa	Lecturer	[email protected]	The influence of school ecologies in facilitating resilience among children with Fragile X Syndrome
David Osher	American Institutes for Research	Vice president and Institute Fellow	[email protected]	Facilitator
Deidre Kruger	University of South Africa	Full Professor	[email protected]	Contribution of ordinary school text-book to accommodate diversities in SA classroom
Dipane Hlalele	University of the Freestate	Deputy Dean: Education	[email protected]	In a rural context (where we work and conduct our research) beset with risks such as poverty, lower literacy levels, lack of role models, underdevelopment schools can serve as enabling systems
Felice Levine	American Education Research Association	Executive Director	[email protected]	Facilitator
Funke Omidire	University of Pretoria	Lecturer	[email protected]	Investigate the use of dynamic assessment in mainstream classroom as an alternative means of assessment for L2 learners
Hopi Mboweni	University of Limpopo	Lecturer	[email protected]	Pregnant and Parenting Learners’ voices: A plea for societal understanding and school support
Jace Pillay	University of Johannesburg	Research Chair	[email protected]	To assess factors of vulnerability (risks, pathology) and factors of protection (resiliency, assets, strengths) that are prevalent in the education and care of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) as embedded in their families/caregivers, schools and communities
Jan Heystek	Northwest University	Research Professor	[email protected]	School improvement from a leadership and management perspective
Karen Murphy	Pennsylvania State University	Full Professor	[email protected]	Using Quality Talk to Enhance High-level Comprehension in High-Need Schools
Liesel Ebersöhn	University of Pretoria	Director: Centre for the Study of Resilience	[email protected]	Flocking as indigenous (non-western) pathway to resilience (school-system’s adaptation to adversity)
Mahlapahlapana Themane	University of Limpopo	Head of Department: Educational Studies	[email protected]	School safety in rural schools of Limpopo Province: The Case of Mankweng Circuit
Maitumeleng Ntho-Ntho	University of Pretoria	Postdoctoral: Centre for the Study of Resilience	[email protected]	Integrating climate change into school curricular
Marlene Ogawa	Synergos Institute	Programme Manager South Africa	[email protected]	Social connectedness and creating meaningful social connections for children and youth in schools
Mpho Modipane	University of Limpopo	Lecturer	[email protected]	Social capital of teachers was instrumental in changing practices in schools and in encouraging good practices
Phumzile Langa	National Department of Basic Education	Director: Rural Education	[email protected]	Towards a place/context sensitive approach to rural education
Pranay Devchand	Gauteng Department of Basic Education	Chief Education Specialist: Information Systems and Strategic Management (ISSP)	[email protected]	A perspective from systems management at Tshwane North District (the use of data to direct support)
Ronél Ferreira	University of Pretoria	Head of Department: Educational Psychology	[email protected]	School- and community-based participatory intervention research in support of the health and well-being of high risk communities
Ruth Mampane	University of Pretoria	Lecturer	[email protected]	Studying the resilience in SA families of orphaned children cared by grandparents or other caregivers (parents and organising with leaners within barriers to learning – through drop-in centres)
Surette van Staden	University of Pretoria	Lecturer	[email protected]	Social interaction determinants of South African Reading Literacy Achievement: Evidence from prePIRLS 2011
Thabisile Nkambule	University of the Witwatersrand	Head of Curriculum Division, School of Education	[email protected]	Understanding the conditions of teaching and learning in facilitating and/or constraining learners’ academic achievement in rural schools
Thomas Mabasa	University of Limpopo	Lecturer	[email protected]	The way in which schools choose strategies in dealing with safety of learners in schools (School safety and security)
Vanessa Scherman	University of South Africa	Full Professor	[email protected]	Bullying in schools and how we can assist learners to cope and empower each other

It was decided that the Schools as Enabling Research Group would be hosted at the Centre for the Study of Resilience, Faculty of Education, University of Pretoria with selected Steering Committee members namely: Prof Mahlapahlapana Themane (University of Limpopo), Dr Arvin Bhana (Medical Research Council in the Health Systems Research Unit in Durban), Prof Liesel Ebersöhn (Director: Centre for the Study of Resilience), Dr Phumzile Langa (National Department of Basic Education: Rural Education Directorate), and Prof Vanessa Scherman (UNISA). Click here for the initial conceptualisation of Schools as Enabling Spaces: “Enabling spaces in education research: an agenda for impactful, collective evidence to support all to be first among un-equals”.

Outcomes included:

constituting three national education research working groups from across South African universities to integrate alone-standing small-scale research on how evidence can promote resilience in high risk and high need schools.
prioritising the following for collaborative systematic review: a synthesis of knowledge on schools where high performance and well-being of learners and teachers are outcomes despite adversity; a related policy review; and a review of indicators and measures used.
creating a dedicated electronic space with information related to the Schools as Enabling Space Research group on the website of the Centre for the Study of Resilience, Faculty of Education, University of Pretoria (including details of collaborators, national peer-reviewed publications and completed postgraduate studies).

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