SAQA

All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.

SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED QUALIFICATION:

Postgraduate Diploma in Special Needs Education

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
112177	Postgraduate Diploma in Special Needs Education
ORIGINATOR
North West University
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Postgraduate Diploma	Field 05 - Education, Training and Development		Schooling
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	120	Not Applicable	NQF Level 08	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Reregistered		EXCO 0821/24	2019-09-18	2027-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30		2031-06-30

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.

This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification.

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Purpose:
The Postgraduate Diploma in Special Needs Education is primarily professionally-orientated that may offer working professionals the opportunity to undertake advanced reflection and development on special needs issues in education.

The purpose of this qualification is to:

Consolidate and deepen learners' expertise in the area of special needs education, as encompassed in the various modules in the qualification;

Provide learners with a deeper understanding of the professional practices, institutions, and systems that deal with special needs in the school system;

Develop learners' potential to act as leaders and experts in the field of special needs education in their area of function in the school system;

Develop learners' potential to make responsible decisions and solve specific problems in respect of matters in special needs education;

To equip learners to conduct an independent inquiry in a particular problem they experience in their practice in special needs education;

Provide learners with a deeper understanding of the economic, social and cultural diversity and needs of South African professionals within special needs education.

This qualification also undertakes advanced reflection and enhance the professional development of learners using a systematic survey of current thinking, practice and research methods to strengthen and deepen learners' knowledge of special needs in their educational contexts. It will also deliver learners with the requisite skills to enhance national competitiveness and productivity in a global context. The learners who are practising professionals in micro and macro levels will engage with most recent theory, discourses, and practices.

Rationale:
The Department of Basic Education requires working professionals in the Education environment to participate in the continuous development of their professional and theoretical skill during their careers and where appropriate, enhance their potential to provide appropriate guidance to learners and sub-ordinates in a special needs educational environment. The qualification will provide a Postgraduate specialisation in Special Needs to practising professionals through the distance learning mode of delivery within the Unit for Open Distance Learning (UODL), thereby widening access to education professionals who cannot afford to study full time or on campus. The UODL offers the opportunity for school-based and workplace integrated part-time learning supported and enhanced by appropriate ICT.

The qualification will demand of learners a high level of theoretical engagement and intellectual independence and the ability to relate knowledge of special needs education. Furthermore, this qualification includes a research methodology module; however, this module does not include a research project, and the aim is to equip them with the theoretical grounding for research.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
The institution endorses the view that Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), gained either through the formal qualification at this or other institutions, or informally (through experience), is an essential element when deciding on admission to and granting of credits for a particular chosen teaching-learning qualification of the institution. RPL deals with the proven knowledge and learning an applicant has gained, either by undergoing formal training qualification or through experience. At all times within this qualification the question will deal with the level of skill the learner has acquired, reviewed in the context of the exit level skill required for the envisaged teaching and learning qualifications, or composing modules, or status for which the applicant applies, and not only the experience an applicant has recorded. RPL will thus be granted based on the applied competencies the applicant has demonstrated.

Entry Requirements:
The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:

Bachelor of Education, NQF Level 7.
Or

Postgraduate Certificate in Education, NQF Level 7.
Or

Advanced Diploma in a cognate specialisation, NQF Level 7.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at NQF Level 8 totalling 128 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, 128 Credits:

School Guidance and Lay Counseling, 20 Credits.

Learners with special needs, 20 Credits.

Health Promoting Schools, 20 Credits.

Learner Support in the Diverse classroom, 20 Credits.

Applied Learner Support (Year module), 32 Credits.

Education Research, 16 Credits.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Take responsibility for judgements, within an inclusive society which is based on a strong value system, and an awareness and understanding of moral and social issues;
2. Integrated knowledge of underlying theories relevant to special needs education and learner support critical understanding of school guidance and lay counselling, learners with special needs, health-promoting schools, learner support in a diverse classroom and applied learner support.
3. Contribute to the current knowledge framework of educational matters and issues, within special needs and learner support, by evaluating different knowledge sources;
4. Demonstrate specific skills to identify and solve real-life problems regarding key matters in special needs and learner support education, as well as competence with regard to ethical issues and professional practise that deal with special needs and learner support within the South African school system through an acquired in-depth expertise within the field of special needs and learner support;
5. Show effective teamwork with for both staff members and learners in the educational environment by demonstrating their expertise in the field of special needs and learner support education;
6. Critically analyse alternative approaches and solve specific problems within the area of special needs education as well as the capacity for argumentation and reasoning, based on their values, beliefs, and practices;
7. Take accountability for own self-directed learning when dealing with a problem in special needs and learner support and present new insights, and solutions to known issues in an academically appropriate way;
8. Appreciate own limited knowledge, and demonstrate an intellectual curiosity for new ideas as lifelong learners, that question established ways of understanding current educational issues.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:

Demonstrate the ability to take responsibility for their judgements based on a strong value system;

Evaluate their awareness and understanding of moral and social issues.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:

Discuss and evaluate key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules, and theories in the field of special needs education;

Discuss the different underlying theories relevant to special needs education and learner support;

Critically discuss school guidance and lay counselling, learners with special needs, health-promoting schools, learner support in a diverse classroom and it's underlying concepts.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:

Identify specific procedures and methods of inquiry in the field of special needs education;

Evaluate and apply procedures and methods of enquiry in a practical situation;

Discuss and reflect on solutions regarding problems in the practical special needs classrooms.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:

Explain and apply the principles, values, skills, and attitudes a teacher needs to possess when working in a special needs environment;

Justify decisions and actions, drawing on ethical values and approaches;

Identify and analyse the challenges and problems teachers encounter within the South African school environment regarding the special needs of learners.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:

Identify and describe the principles of effective teamwork and communication;

Apply the principles of effective teamwork with relevant stakeholders within the field of special needs education.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:

Reason ethical issues and teacher responsibility regarding learner support in the diverse classroom;

Act responsibly in his/her actions and practices, as well as decision making, and being conscious of accountability when providing learner support;

Debate and critically analyse alternative approaches to solve problems within the field of special needs education.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:

Take full responsibility for his/her own learning needs, monitor his/her learning progress, apply relevant learning strategies, and manage applicable resources to attain the learning outcomes of the modules in the qualification;

Critically reflect on his/her learning processes toward the development of a higher Degree of self-directedness and specialisation;

Demonstrate the skills and disposition needed to stay informed and current about special needs education trends and developments as a lifelong learner.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8:

Evaluate the effectiveness of their learning strategies;

Develop different strategies should they have to improve their learning to realise the outcomes.

Integrated Assessment:
The assessment procedures are based on the assessment and moderation policy of the institution. The assessment practices within this qualification will be open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable and will ensure that no learner is disadvantaged in any way whatsoever. Both formal and informal formative (continuous assessment) will serve as a monitoring instrument to enable learners to determine their learning progress and to allow lecturers to determine the effectiveness of their teaching. Adjustments will thus be made in time to make the teaching and learning process more effective. Utilise feedback from informal formative assessment opportunities for improvement of learner learning and facilitator guidance. Informal assessments will be available to learners through the assessment tools on the different platform or drop-box module sites in the form of, for example, multiple-choice questionnaires and other assessments, with the benefit of immediate feedback on learning. Compile assessment instruments, for instance, memorandums, rubrics, and control lists, for each formal formative and each summative assessment activity performed by the learner. In the case of summative assessment, submit the assessment instruments with the examination paper for moderation. Co-assessors or markers utilise the assessment instruments for formal formative and summative assessment activities, as well as for moderation activities described in the Policy.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

This qualification is internationally comparable.

The University of Maynooth (UoM) in Ireland, offers a Postgraduate Diploma in Special and Inclusive Education. The design of the qualification is for teachers working with pupils with a range of special educational needs in recognised mainstream primary, secondary and special school settings. The qualification targets working professionals who seek a qualification that combines relevant theory with best practice. The qualification has a flexible, modular format and is compatible with full-time employment. Teachers will acquire the skills necessary to tailor classroom practice to take account of the diverse range of special needs encountered in the range of educational settings. Both the South African and the Irish qualifications focus on special needs education. The South African qualification focuses on research skills and learner support in diverse classroom contexts and health promotion. While the UoM curriculum focuses on inclusive education, language, literacy and Mathematics and teaching and class performance.

The University of Canterbury (UC) in New-Zealand offers a Postgraduate Diploma in Special and Inclusive Education. The qualification targets classroom teachers and those who are education professionals wishing to develop their knowledge and skills in supporting the academic and social development of pupils with diverse learning needs. New Zealand's qualification provides opportunities to build professional knowledge, practice and critically examine issues relevant to inclusive and special education. Both the curricula have a strong focus on inclusive education, special education and learner support. The NWU curriculum includes a research module to prepare learners for research although the curriculum does not include a research project.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This qualification allows possibilities for both vertical and horizontal articulation.

Horizontal Articulation:

Bachelor of Education Honours, NQF Level 8.

Postgraduate Diploma in Education, Level 8.

Vertical Articulation:

Master of Education, NQF Level 9.

MODERATION OPTIONS

N/A

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

N/A

NOTES

N/A

LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION:

NONE

PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION:

This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.

NONE