Degrees Held
- B.Soc Sci (Psychology and History)
- HDE (1993)
- B.Ed (1996)
- M.Ed (1999)
- PhD (2009) (UKZN)
Research Interests
- My interests are in the field of sociology of education, curriculum and knowledge structures particularly in the contexts of history education and professional learning of teachers.
Teaching Interests: I teach on the Honours and the Masters’ TDS programmes in curriculum, teacher development, teacher learning and teacher knowledge. I also supervise PhD students in these fields.
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Chapters in Books
Journal Articles
- Rusznyak, L. & Bertram C. (2021). Conceptualising work-integrated learning to support pre-service teachers’ pedagogic reasoning. Journal of Education, 83, 34-53.
- Bertram, C., Mthiyane, C.C.N. & Naidoo, J. (2021). The tension between curriculum coverage and quality learning: The experiences of South African teachers, International Journal of Educational Development, 81, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2021.102353.
- Ajibade, B.A. & Bertram, C. (2020). How district teacher development centres support teachers’ learning: Case studies in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Perspectives in Education, 38 (2), 103 – 117. https://doi.org/10.18820/2519593X/pie.v38.i2.07
- Bertram C. (2020). Remaking history: the pedagogic device and shifting discourses in the South African school history curriculum. Yesterday and Today
- Kimathi, F.K. & Bertram, C. (2020). Oral language teaching in English as First Additional Language at the foundation phase: a case study of changing practice. Reading & Writing,11(1), a236. https://doi.org/10.4102/rw.v11i1.236
- Zulu, F.Q.B & Bertram, C. (2019) Collaboration and teacher knowledge in a teacher learning community: A case of mathematics teachers in KwaZulu-Natal province. South African Journal of Higher Education.
- Mthiyane, C.C.N., Naidoo, J. & Bertram, C. (2019) Context matters: Heads of Department’s leadership practices in monitoring and supporting teachers in schools participating in Jika iMfundo. Journal of Education, 75, 65 – 76. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2520-9868/i75a05
- Christiansen, I.M. & Bertram, C. (2019) Early schooling teachers’ learning from a formal teacher development programme in South Africa. International Journal of Educational Development. 66, 78-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2019.01.004
- Kimathi, F. & Bertram C. (2019) How a professional development programme changes early grades teachers’ literacy. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 9 (11) DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v9i1.554
- Bertram C. (2019) What is powerful knowledge in school history? Learning from the South African and Rwandan school curriculum documents. The Curriculum Journal. 30 (2), 125-143, DOI: 1080/09585176.2018.1557536
- Bharath, P. & Bertram, C. (2018) Analysing historical enquiry in school history textbooks. Perspectives in Education, 36(1): 145-161 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18820/2519593X/pie.v36i1.10
- Christiansen, I.M., Bertram, C. & Mukeredzi,T.G. (2018) Contexts and concepts: analysing learning tasks in a foundation phase teacher education programme in South Africa, Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, DOI: 10.1080/1359866X.2018.1461804
- Mukeredzi, T.G., Bertram, C. & Christiansen, I. (2018) Investigating teacher learning from a university programme for Foundation Phase teachers, South African Journal of Childhood Education 8(1), a524. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v8i1.524
- Bertram, C. (2016) Recontextualising principles for the selection, sequencing and progression of history knowledge in four school curricula Journal of Education, 60, 27-54.
- Bertram, C., Christiansen, I. and Mukeredzi, T. (2015) Exploring the complexities of describing foundation phase teachers’ professional knowledge base. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 5(1): 169-19.
- Rusznyak, L. and Bertram C. (2015) Knowledge and judgement for assessing student teaching: a cross-institutional analysis of teaching practicum assessment instruments. Journal of Education, 60, 31 – 62.
- Bertram, C. and Wassermann, J. (2015) South African history textbook research: A review of the scholarly literature. Yesterday and Today.14, 151 -174.
- Bharath, P. and Bertram, C. (2015) Using genre to describe progression of historical thinking in school history textbooks. Yesterday and Today.14, 76 – 98.
- Mukeredzi, T., Mthiyane, N. and Bertram, C. (2015) Becoming professionally qualified: the school-based mentoring experiences of part-time PGCE students. South African Journal of Education, 35 (2). (reviewer role)
- Bertram, C. (2014) Shifting discourses and assumptions about teacher learning in South African teacher development policy. Southern African Review of Education. 20 (1), 90 – 108
- Bertram, C., Mthiyane, N and Mukeredzi, T. (2013) ‘It will make me a real teacher’: learning experiences of part time PGCE students in South Africa. International Journal of Educational Development. 33, 448 -456.
- Bertram, C. (2012) Bernstein’s theory of the pedagogic device as frame to study history curriculum reform in South Africa. Yesterday and Today, 7, 1-22.
- Bertram, C. (2012) Exploring an historical gaze: a language of description for the practice of school history. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 44 (3), 429 -442
- Bertram C. (2011) What does research say about teacher learning and teacher knowledge? : Implications for professional development in South Africa. Journal of Education, 52, 3-26.
- Bertram, C. and Bharath, P. (2011) Specialised knowledge and everyday knowledge in old and new Grade 6 history textbooks. Education as Change.15 (1), 63 -80.
Chapters in Books
- Bertram, C. (2021). The recontextualising logics of four post-colonial African school history curriculum documents. In D. Bentrovato & J. Wassermann (eds.) Teaching and Learning History in Contemporary Africa. Experiences and Perspectives from Africa and Beyond (pp. 15-44). Brill Sense.
Teaching Expertise
- Research methods and design, curriculum, knowledge structures, teacher development, teacher knowledge, teacher professional learning.
Community Involvements
- Member of Reading to Learn, http://www.readingtolearnsouthafrica.com an NGO that focuses on developing reading and writing at all levels of education
Student Supervision
Graduated M.Ed students
Graduated PhD students
Graduated M.Ed students
- Gamede, K.E. (2021) An exploration of Intermediate Phase English First Additional Language teacher learning through the use of PILO toolkits to improve curriculum coverage: A case study of three primary schools in the King Cetshwayo District. (co-supervisor: Dr CCN Mthiyane)
- Dlomo, T.D. (2021) The role of principals in school-based teacher professional development in three secondary schools (co- supervisor: Dr FQB Zulu)
- Lushaba, L. (2021) Exploring grade 3 teachers’ writing instructional practices in response to the Department of Basic Education programmes.
- Zondi, T.M. (2021) Teacher professional learning: A case study of a History cluster.
- Majeza, O. (2020) Exploring the pedagogical content knowledge of FET mathematics teachers.
- Hyde, B. (2020) Exploring the nature of the mentoring in an internship Programme. A case study of a private Secondary School
- Nadas, L. (2020) A case study exploring the pedagogical content knowledge of Intermediate Phase mathematics teachers
- Shange, LPP Exploring the role of the District Teacher Development Centre in supporting teachers’ professional learning 2019
- Mnguni, N Exploring the role of Peacedale District Teacher Development Centre in supporting teachers’ professional learning 2019
- Thwala NPN Exploring how a District Teacher Development Centre supports teachers’ professional learning: a case study in Phumelela district 2019
- Shange, N. Exploring the role of Sunshine District Teacher Development Centre in supporting teachers’ professional learning 2019
- Hlabisa, S. Exploring the role of Ngotsha District Teacher Development Centre in supporting teachers’ professional learning 2019
- Ngwenya, X An exploration of the influence of the Matric Intervention Programme on the professional identity of local and lead teachers.2019
- Mahlaba, L. An Exploration of Three Rural Teachers’ Practices on the use of English as a Language of Learning and Teaching (LOLT) when teaching Geography.2018
- Nzama, T. Ntombela, B. Makhathini, N. Kwela, N. Case studies of teacher learning from the Reading to Learn programme in primary schools 2018
- Myende, SSS An exploration of clusters as Teacher Learning Communities for Grade 12 Geography teachers in the Inland Circuit 2017
- Msomi, DM An exploration of teacher learning in grade 12 history professional development workshops 2017
- Chetty. S. Exploring theory and practice in the National Certificate Vocational (NCV) in the Automotive Repair and Maintenance (ARM) course 2017
- Makwara, V. Exploring teacher learning through the construction and use of teaching resources in an Advanced Certificate in Teaching (ACT) programme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Co-supervisor Dr TG Mukeredzi) 2016
- Govender, S A case study of informal learning of Foundation Phase teachers 2016
- Laban, M. Teaching Shakespeare: Exploring the PCK and beliefs of teachers of English 2016
- Mcaba, S. Exploring the knowledge base of Foundation Phase teachers regarding the teaching of language (co-supervisor Dr TA Mbatha) 2015
- Nkosi, C. Exploring the quality of the SANBI teacher development workshops 2015
- Rawhani, V. An analysis of the values in the Foundation Phase of the South African curriculum and their application in workbooks 2014
- Mutereko, P Learning to Teach: The Experiences of Part – Time Post Graduate Certificate in Education Students 2014
Graduated PhD students
- Jawahar (2021) A semantic gravity perspective on South African school chemistry curriculum alignment (Co-supervisor Dr D. Sibanda)
- N. Mxenge An Exploration of Teacher Learning in Life Sciences Cluster in Mpumalanga Province 2019
- Bharath, P. An investigation into how Social Science textbooks develop progression in historical thinking. 2016
- Zulu, FQB Teacher learning: A case study of two teacher learning communities in KwaZulu-Natal (Co-supervisor Dr TG Mukeredzi) 2017
- Kimathi, F Professional learning of Foundation Phase teachers in the Advanced Certificate in Teaching (ACT) 2017