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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: 

Master of Education in Life Orientation 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
102016  Master of Education in Life Orientation 
ORIGINATOR
North West University 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Master's Degree  Field 05 - Education, Training and Development  Schooling 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  180  Not Applicable  NQF Level 09  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Reregistered  EXCO 0821/24  2021-07-01  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 purpose of the qualification is to equip teachers with advanced knowledge and appropriate educational skills to function optimally as professionals and researchers in the field of Life Orientation with its respective and different foci. Furthermore, this qualification aims to equip teachers with the appropriate research skills in order to enhance the scholarship of teaching in this specific discipline.

Qualified teachers will be able to function with advanced intellectual, practical and research competencies in complex and challenging situations in diverse areas in education. Candidates registered for this qualification will be encouraged to participate in national and international conferences and to publish their research results in accredited journals.

Rationale:
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996) provides the basis for curriculum transformation and development in our post-apartheid South African society (DoE, 2012). Consequently, all subjects, including Life Orientation, should contribute to the social transformation and holistic development of learners by focusing on healing the divisions of the past and establishing a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights to improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person. The National Curriculum Statement lays a foundation for the achievement of these goals by being sensitive to issues that promote inequality such as poverty, race, gender, language, age, and disability. It also highlights the importance of incorporating indigenous knowledge into the curriculum.

Life Orientation as part of the national curriculum is considered a unique subject, in that, it applies a holistic approach to the personal, social, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, motor and physical growth and development of learners, as a way to encourage the development of a balanced and confident learner who can contribute to a just and democratic society, a productive economy and an improved quality of life for all. The focus of the curriculum suggests that Life Orientation should contribute to holistic well-being of learners within a context of social justice.

The complex, integrated nature of the Life Orientation curriculum mirrors the complexity of human society and therefore poses specific challenges to teachers who mediate it. Furthermore, the Life Orientation curriculum intersects with real life challenges in such a way that it has to be mediated in a contextually relevant manner. Teachers who present Life Orientation can therefore play a significant role in changing the social contexts of schooling in South Africa and facilitate social change in these contexts if they understand how to take up their role as agents of social transformation. In view of these complex challenges, the Master of Education in Life Orientation is designed to meet the needs of teachers who can act as transformative leaders; who can provide guidance to make optimal use of the opportunities provided by the Life Orientation curriculum; to facilitate social transformation by enabling learners to optimally develop their potential and understand their role and responsibility in society. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
The institution subscribes to the principles underlying outcomes-based, sourced-based, and self-directed learning emphasising life-long learning. In this context, considerations of articulation and mobility play an important role. The institution endorses the view that RPL constitutes an essential element of the transformation of access and admission policies at education institutions in South Africa. The transformation of access and admission policies is intended to increase participation and to broaden access to higher education in order to produce graduates with the skills and competencies necessary to meet the human resource needs of the country.

The learner initially has to meet the admission requirements to be admitted to the qualification. Thereafter Recognition of Prior Learning, gained either through formal qualifications of this or other institutions, or informally (through experience), may be considered when deciding on granting of credits for modules in this particular qualification. The learner will be informed about the mechanism to be used. If the learner is able to demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in this qualification, the appropriate credits will be assigned to the student.

At all times the level of skills and competence, reviewed in the context of the Exit Level Outcomes required for this qualification, or the outcomes of modules within it, will be the determining factor. RPL will thus be done on the grounds of applied competence which the applicant has demonstrated with regard to the Exit Level Outcomes to be reached with this qualification.

The institution determines the number of learners admitted to any of its qualifications, taking into consideration the availability of staff and facilities needed to manage such qualifications.

Entry Requirements:
The minimum entry requirements for access to this qualification are:
  • Bachelor of Education Honours Degree in Life Orientation, or Learner Support, Educational Psychology, Level 8.
    Or
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Education in a cognate field of specialisation, Level 8. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification comprises compulsory modules at Level 9 totalling 180 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules:
  • Holistic Well-being Approach to Social Transformation in Schools, 12 Credits.
  • Service Learning Project, 10 Credits.
  • Human Rights and Inclusivity in Education, 12 Credits.
  • Pedagogical Challenges in Life Orientation, 12 Credits.
  • Optimal Development through Life Orientation, 24 Credits.
  • Advanced Research in Life Orientation, 20 Credits.
  • Research Mini-Dissertation 90 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Demonstrate advanced and integrated knowledge of theories and practices in the field of Life Orientation to specifically enable engagement with and critique of the contribution of Life Orientation to social transformation and current issues and practices relating to the field of Life Orientation.
    2. Evaluate current practices in the field of Life Orientation and to adapt these practices to ensure that holistic well-being are enhanced and human rights are respected within educational practice in order to contribute to social transformation in South African schools and for learners to flourish despite the challenges they have to face, as well as prepare them for responsible citizenship.
    3. Implement methods, strategies and interventions at appropriate levels in the school system, based on the understanding of power relations within these systems and their insight into the possible consequences of the implementation thereof on these power relations.
    4. Apply advanced knowledge and skills to communicate with a wide range of audiences with different levels of knowledge and expertise to develop sustainable support networks that will contribute to the enhancement of holistic well-being and social transformation in South African school communities.
    5. Develop own learning strategies which sustain independent learning and academic or professional development and interact effectively within the learning or professional group as a meaning of enhancing learning within the context of Life Orientation in the school context by means of facilitation of well-being.
    6. Communicate results of the research in Life Orientation context in an academically acceptable and ethical manner in the form of a coherent mini dissertation.
    7. Undertake a critical and relevant literature survey, to apply theories and specialised tools and techniques in identifying and analysing complex real-world problems in a Life Orientation context and to draw valid, reliable and relevant conclusions from different sources.
    8. Make autonomous ethical decisions in research which creates knowledge production, advanced, systematic and specialist knowledge, understanding and skill to undertake research by applying appropriate research methods and techniques to identify, analyse and formulate complex real-world research problems in the domain of Life Orientation. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Carefully select and study appropriate literary sources.
  • Analyse, evaluate and critically discuss the contribution of Life Orientation to social transformation, as well as current issues and practices in Life Orientation.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Evaluate and adapt current practices in the field of Life Orientation with the enhancement of holistic well-being and respect for human rights to contribute to the social transformation and responsible citizenship in South African schools.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Implement appropriate methods, strategies and interventions with the understanding of, and insight into the power relations in the school systems and the consequences of implementing them.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Effectively integrate and discuss or debate a variety of different academic sources in order to analyse the existing challenges pertaining to holistic well-being and transformation in practice.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • Develop own strategies to sustain independent academic and professional development within the context of Life Orientation by facilitating well-being.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
  • Gather, analyse and evaluate current research on a topic of choice and present the information in an academically acceptable literature review.
  • Effectively integrate a variety of different academic sources in order to analyse the existing problems in Life Orientation practice.
  • Interrogate themes such as, title and topicality, purpose and intentions, problem statement and scope, selecting and presenting a focus and clarity.
  • Cover the interrogation of issues such as, causes of problem, actuality, importance and relevance of problem and rationale behind research undertaken.
  • Indicating lacunae in the literature, explaining why lacunae exist.
  • Identify critical questions to cover the interrogation of issues such as, review of the body of scholarship, locate and present an epistemological paradigm, locate and present a conceptual and theoretical framework, present a research design, present research methodology, present a data collection plan, plan for and present a data analysis strategy.
  • Deal with reliability and validity concerns.
  • Cover the interrogation of issues such as, presentation of results, discussion of findings, relevance of findings.
  • Show evidence of acceptable academic style of writing and referencing.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:
  • Select an appropriate research topic with the guidance of a supervisor.
  • Identify relevant research questions; develop an appropriate research design to do the intended research.
  • Draw, discuss and debate relevant conclusions and successfully complete the intended research project in Life Orientation context, under careful supervision, and present findings and conclusions in a coherent manner.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8:
  • Develop and complete a body of research work, compiled as a mini dissertation within the framework of the university's requirements.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Assessment of this qualification occurs through formative and summative assessment methods and will fit the needs and experience level of the learners as well as that of the prescribed Level 9 Descriptor. An inclusive and integrated approach to assessment will be incorporated into the qualification, while assessment practices will be open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable to ensure that students are not disadvantaged during the assessment process.

    Formative Assessment:
    Assignments will take the form of a portfolio, a research project, and/or a case study. Various assignments will be used in order to compile a portfolio for final assessment in respective modules.

    Summative Assessment:
    Learners will give proof that they can identify, assess, formulate and solve problems innovatively using applicable information and techniques in assignments, portfolios or projects at the end of the modules.

    The mini-dissertation:
    Integrated summative assessment in the form of the mini-dissertation will furnish proof of the candidate's ability to interpret, integrate, and critically use the literature to a limited extent, do research in the relevant field of study and report such research results satisfactorily. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    Benchmark against International universities:
  • University of Northern British Columbia (Master of Education: Counseling).
  • Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam: Netherland (Master in Psychology: Social Psychology Specialisation).
  • Brock University, Ontario: Canada (Master of Education).

    This Master of Education in Life Orientation is benchmarked against the SAQA level descriptors for NQF level 9. The content of this qualification is benchmarked against international Higher Education Institutions (Universities) that offer similar qualifications. This will allow graduates to be able to pursue their studies internationally in various foci. The various international Masters programmes (University of Northern British Columbia; Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam: Netherland) used for benchmarking encapsulate: Human Rights, Religion, Holistic Well-being and pedagogical challenges and critical pedagogy.

    Similarities:
    A: Modules:
  • Religion; Religion Science; Philosophy of life; Spiritual care; Mental Health; Gender; Human Rights and diversity; Well-being (Personal and Social); Life Skills.
  • Human Behaviour; Socialisation of children and adolescence; Youth Education; Youth studies; Social educational quests human interaction, and the influence of the social environment on cognition, emotion, motivation, and behavior in order to solve societal problems, for instance in the context of health, the environment, communication, aggression, and charity.
  • There is also a strong similarity in the focus of the qualification that aims at bringing together theory and practice.
  • Opportunity to obtain expertise in a particular area of study linked with practical skills.
  • The counseling specialisation in the various international Masters programmes is designed to prepare counselors to provide professional services and leadership in counseling and psycho-educational programs offered in schools, post-secondary institutions, social service agencies, community health organisations.
  • Teaching, Learning and Development.

    B: Research:
  • Administrative Leadership, Organisational Leadership, Teacher Education, Inclusive Education, Cultural Diversity in Education, Special Education, Policies and Politics in Education, Mental Health and Wellness, and Comprehensive School Health.
  • Research areas (foci) in this qualification are well compatible with International research foci.
  • The expected research skills and competencies of the graduates at Master's level are well matched.
  • Research themes (topics) that are reflected in this Master of Education in Life Orientation qualification's modules align well with the various research topics at international level.
  • Research and writing skills forms an integral part of the qualification and suffice preparation for students who would like to pursue with a PhD thesis.

    Differences:
    A: Modules:
  • The weighing of module credits.
  • The structure of the qualification in terms of modules.

    B: Research:
  • The research contexts differ in terms of uniqueness and challenges within South African contexts. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification enables articulation possibilities with the following qualifications:

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Master's qualifications in related areas of study, Level 9.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • A Doctoral Degree in related fields of study, Level 10. 
    		•

    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 


    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.