Bachelor of Education Honours
Education, Training and Development - Schooling
Purpose and Rationale
Purpose:
The Bachelor of Education Honours (BEdHons) qualification aims to prepare students for research-based postgraduate studies within a chosen specialization in the field of education. It intends to enhance and solidify the student's knowledge and skills in their chosen specialization, while also developing their research capabilities. Furthermore, this entry-level postgraduate qualification seeks to empower students to continue along the path of educational planning, research, and policy development within the field of education.
Rationale:
Legacy education qualifications are being replaced by Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF) and Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (MRTEQ, 2015) compliant qualifications which adhere to a broad set of standards. The BEdHons has been created in alignment with the MRTEQ guidelines provided by the Department of Higher Education, in collaboration with various stakeholders such as the Departments of Basic Education and Higher Education and Training, the South African Council of Educators, teacher unions, and the Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDP SETA). This qualification focuses on expanding knowledge, building research capabilities, and is tailored to the educational planning, research, and policy development pathway, as outlined in the MRTEQ policy. It covers theoretical and research aspects related to teaching, learning, management, and leadership. The BEdHons caters to the need for disciplinary, pedagogical, and professional ethics in an entry postgraduate context to facilitate further studies. It offers compulsory generic components and elective courses to enable students to concentrate on addressing critical educational challenges as highlighted in the MRTEQ, both in South Africa and beyond. The specialization fields include but are not limited to Education Policy Studies, Education Law, Education Management and Leadership, Philosophy of Education, Curriculum Studies, Comparative Education and International Studies, Psychology of Education, Community Psychology in Education, and Advanced Studies in Early Childhood Development and Learning. Subject focus areas like Mathematics Education, Science Education, Language Education, and Social Sciences Education complement Curriculum Studies. By selecting electives, students can hone in on one of the four specific specializations offered, paving the way for further postgraduate studies. This qualification is suitable for education graduates or educators who meet entry requirements, or alternatively, through Recognition of Prior Learning. The BEdHons is structured to equip students for research endeavors that contribute to educational planning, research, and policy development, thereby enhancing research capacity within the school education sector. It seeks to deepen students' theoretical knowledge and expertise in various education fields, preparing them for advanced postgraduate studies.
Outcomes
- Engage at an advanced level with theories in education, pedagogy and both professional and research ethics.
- Demonstrate research capacity in the methodology and techniques of the specific field of education.
- Demonstrate consolidated and deepened knowledge of the particular field of education.
- Reflect at an advanced level on current thinking, practice and research methods in such field of education.
- Conduct and report on a research project in the chosen field of education.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Explain and deliberate on the nature of education, theory and educational theory.
- Relate educational theory to research and practice.
- Interpret and communicate the relationship between educational theory, research, ethics and education.
- Demonstrate knowledge of, and engagement in, the field of specialisation.
- Apply knowledge in specific contexts.
- Identify and address ethical issues based on critical reflection.
- Theorise education by deliberating concepts of discourse, knowledge, learning, pedagogy and curriculum.
- Interrogate multiple sources of knowledge of education.
- Evaluate knowledge and processes of knowledge production.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- Explain and apply theory, methodology and research techniques related to education research.
- Conduct small scale research projects.
- Demonstrate an understanding of complexities and uncertainties in unfamiliar fields.
- Gather, analyse, synthesise and critically evaluate information.
- Manage research processes in specialised contexts.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Understand contemporary educational conditions and policies.
- Analyse socio-historical development in South Africa and beyond.
- Use specialised skills to identify, analyse and address complex problems.
- Draw on existing knowledge and methods appropriate to the field of specialisation.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
- Display intellectual independence and critical thinking.
- Construct arguments on contemporary education issues.
- Apply learning strategies effectively.
- Reflect, record and comment on learning experiences as an Honours learner.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
- Prepare a basic research proposal.
- Conduct a full-fledged research study.
- Produce and defend a short research report.
- Engage with theories of knowledge, intellectual independence and ethical research.
- Take full responsibility for work, decision-making and resource use.
Integrated Assessment:
- Comply with institutional assessment policy.
- Include integrated continuous assessments.
- Demonstrate achieved competences as required by the outcomes of the qualification.
- Non-examination modules.
- Minimum of 4 assessment tasks per module.
- Various assessment tasks appropriate at Level 8.
Formative and Summative Assessment:
- Prepare presentations and written pieces for discussion.
- Keep a reflective journal throughout the qualification.
- Submit a research report as a summative assessment.
- Compile a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate reaching qualification outcomes.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Honours Degree
- NQF Level
- 08
- Min. Credits
- 120
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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This page includes information from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) . Builtneat Pty Ltd trading as Study Start, has modified all or some of this information. SAQA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.