Thesis (M.Dev) --University of Limpopo, 2009. / The purpose of this study was to investigate factors contributing towards the poor performance of Grade 12 learners at two selected high schools, which fall within low quintiles in Limpopo Province. Specifically, the study focused on low Grade 12 outputs in relation to access to university. Due to the exploratory nature of the study and the holistic approach that was undertaken both the home and school environments were targeted as points of investigation. Multiple methods of data collection were used. First, data were collected through individual interviews with learners, educators, principals, and parents. Second, an observation method was used to collect data, such as, time management by learners, their behavioral patterns inside and outside the classroom and in the schoolyard. Finally, document analysis was used to analyse the attendance and performance of learners on attendance registers, quarterly and half yearly schedules, and mark sheets. Key findings of this research suggest that the home environment of learners is not educationally supportive due to poverty, which includes factors such as parents’ low-level of education, high unemployment rate, child-headed families, unpredictable home environment, emotional problems and issues relating to gender roles. In the school environment, the study showed the following causative factors: lack of facilities, unavailable learner support materials, lack of discipline, English as a medium of instruction, heavy workload due to rationalisation and redeployment of educators, and confusion with regard to the application of the new curriculum (National Curriculum Statement). As a result, the study concluded that both home and school environment factors collaborate in producing poor Grade 12 results in the schools. Recommendations are made for attention to be given to these factors by all educational stakeholders. Directions are suggested for future research on poor performance and university access. / Not listed

<p>Två studier undersökte hur self-efficacy, individens tro på sin förmåga, inverkar på prosocialt beteende i skolmiljö. I Studie 1 besvarade 121 gymnasieelever en enkät, som mätte akademisk och emotionell self-efficacy samt prosocialt beteende. I Studie 2 besvarade 48 gymnasieelever en enkät, som mätte emotionell self-efficacy och prosocialt beteende. Studie 1 visade att akademisk men inte emotionell self-efficacy korrelerade positivt med prosocialt beteende. I begreppet emotionell self-efficacy finns två känsloreaktioner: själv- och andraorienterade. Studie 1 tog hänsyn enbart till självorienterade reaktioner. Eftersom andraorienterade reaktioner saknades, kan det förklara bristen på samband. I Studie 2 korrelerade emotionell self-efficacy positivt med prosocialt beteende, och andraorienterade känsloreaktioner visade sig ha störst betydelse. Andraorienterad emotionell self-efficacy kan antas vara en kraftfull källa till prosocialt beteende i skolmiljö.</p>

Objectives.The general objectives of this dissertationwere to examine the effects of acute exposure to meaningfulirrelevant speech and road traffic noise on memory performance,and to explore annoyance responses to noise exposure in theschool environment for pupils and teachers in different agegroups. Methods. The thesis comprises seven papers, representingdifferent methodological approaches: experiments, surveystudies and interviews. In the experiments, reported in PapersI-V, 288 pupils and teachers participated in the age groups,13-14 years (n=96), 18-20 years (n=96), 35-45 years (n=48) and55-65 years (n=48). The subjects were randomly assigned to oneof three conditions: (a) meaningful irrelevant speech, (b) roadtraffic noise, and (c) silence. The equivalent sound level inthe noise conditions was set to 66 dB(A). A test batteryreflecting episodic and semantic memory were used. The surveystudies, reported in Paper VI and VII, included 207 pupils(M=13.5) and 166 teachers (M=45.9). Two separate questionnairesmainly comprising items about annoyance, noise sensitivity andstress symptoms were administered. Paper VI presents results offocus group interviews (n=16) treating the main topics:disturbing sounds, emotions, ongoing activity, and suggestionsconcerning future changes. Results. The overall findings showedthat both noise sources affected episodic and semantic memoryto the same degree for all age groups. The results indicatedthat the similarity of semantic content between noise and thetask at hand was not the only suitable explanation model, sincea non-speech noise impaired memory as much as speech. Resultsalso indicated that attention effects did notmediate the obtained noise effects and that the noise effectsdid not differ between age groups. Therefore, it seemedunlikely that different memory and attentional capacities stoodout as explanatory factors of the memory effects. Sinceperformances of both episodic and semantic memory tasks wereimpaired, the explanation based on level of access to long-termmemory was also ruled out. However, the episodic memory task,reading comprehension, stood out to be most impaired by noise,suggesting that complexity of the task to perform was ofimportance. For reading comprehension there was also adifferent noise pattern obtained. Participants performance wasin this task, more impaired by meaningful irrelevant speechthan by road traffic noise. This effect indicated thatmeaningful irrelevant speech might reduce the availablecognitive resources necessary for learning the text. Theannoyance models derived from the survey studies indicated thatsensitivity acted as a mediator between hearing status andannoyance, with stress symptoms as an outcome. Whetherannoyance arises or not was also determined by control andpredictability of the noise. In the interviews a differentannoyance pattern was found, in that stress symptoms appearedto be a determinant of annoyance. To be involved, respected,take own responsibility and respect others were suggestions onhow to change the environment to become more silent. Conclusions.For both pupils and teachers acute exposureto meaningful irrelevant speech and road traffic noiseinfluenced both the achieving and providing of knowledge. Acommon annoyance pattern was also found for pupils andteachers, where individual and situational factors were ofimportance. To achieve a more silent school environment in thefuture, the pupils pointed out that the interaction betweenthemselves and their teachers was of importance. Key words:Noise, meaningful irrelevant speech, roadtraffic noise, memory, age groups, school environment, pupils,teachers

Objectives.The general objectives of this dissertationwere to examine the effects of acute exposure to meaningfulirrelevant speech and road traffic noise on memory performance,and to explore annoyance responses to noise exposure in theschool environment for pupils and teachers in different agegroups. Methods. The thesis comprises seven papers, representingdifferent methodological approaches: experiments, surveystudies and interviews. In the experiments, reported in PapersI-V, 288 pupils and teachers participated in the age groups,13-14 years (n=96), 18-20 years (n=96), 35-45 years (n=48) and55-65 years (n=48). The subjects were randomly assigned to oneof three conditions: (a) meaningful irrelevant speech, (b) roadtraffic noise, and (c) silence. The equivalent sound level inthe noise conditions was set to 66 dB(A). A test batteryreflecting episodic and semantic memory were used. The surveystudies, reported in Paper VI and VII, included 207 pupils(M=13.5) and 166 teachers (M=45.9). Two separate questionnairesmainly comprising items about annoyance, noise sensitivity andstress symptoms were administered. Paper VI presents results offocus group interviews (n=16) treating the main topics:disturbing sounds, emotions, ongoing activity, and suggestionsconcerning future changes. Results. The overall findings showedthat both noise sources affected episodic and semantic memoryto the same degree for all age groups. The results indicatedthat the similarity of semantic content between noise and thetask at hand was not the only suitable explanation model, sincea non-speech noise impaired memory as much as speech. Resultsalso indicated that attention effects did notmediate the obtained noise effects and that the noise effectsdid not differ between age groups. Therefore, it seemedunlikely that different memory and attentional capacities stoodout as explanatory factors of the memory effects. Sinceperformances of both episodic and semantic memory tasks wereimpaired, the explanation based on level of access to long-termmemory was also ruled out. However, the episodic memory task,reading comprehension, stood out to be most impaired by noise,suggesting that complexity of the task to perform was ofimportance. For reading comprehension there was also adifferent noise pattern obtained. Participants performance wasin this task, more impaired by meaningful irrelevant speechthan by road traffic noise. This effect indicated thatmeaningful irrelevant speech might reduce the availablecognitive resources necessary for learning the text. Theannoyance models derived from the survey studies indicated thatsensitivity acted as a mediator between hearing status andannoyance, with stress symptoms as an outcome. Whetherannoyance arises or not was also determined by control andpredictability of the noise. In the interviews a differentannoyance pattern was found, in that stress symptoms appearedto be a determinant of annoyance. To be involved, respected,take own responsibility and respect others were suggestions onhow to change the environment to become more silent. Conclusions.For both pupils and teachers acute exposureto meaningful irrelevant speech and road traffic noiseinfluenced both the achieving and providing of knowledge. Acommon annoyance pattern was also found for pupils andteachers, where individual and situational factors were ofimportance. To achieve a more silent school environment in thefuture, the pupils pointed out that the interaction betweenthemselves and their teachers was of importance. Key words:Noise, meaningful irrelevant speech, roadtraffic noise, memory, age groups, school environment, pupils,teachers

The current study investigated the factors that have a positive impact on reading development by examining the influence of the home and school environment on students who started school already able to read (early readers). The reading proficiency of the students in the study was determined by a variety of reading tests conducted at the beginning of the school year and students were identified as “early readers”, “average readers”, or “non readers”. The intent was to provide a comprehensive picture of early readers with an emphasis on historical, cultural, and social factors. Many factors influence the development of reading, but this study concentrated on the learning environment at home and in the school. Several methods were used to facilitate a broad description of the reading development of early readers, including observations, interviews, questionnaires, and reading tests. The theoretical concepts were derived from a social constructivist perspective and build on Vygotsky’s theories of learning and development. Among the factors considered were formal reading instruction and literacy. The results demonstrated that the early readers’ reading ability greatly exceeded that of their classmates at the start of the formal school experience. The early readers maintained this advantage through the first three years of school, but the gap was reduced over time. A comparison of the timing of the reading development showed that the early readers developed primarily before the start of school, while the average readers developed during school years one and two, and the non readers, during school year two. A comparison of the learning environments in home and school showed considerable differences. Learning in the home came about as a result of the child’s interests and occurred in the zone of proximal development. Parents gave support without controlling the activities and, along with older siblings, served as good models for reading. In the school setting, the national curriculum and the goals set in the syllabus determined the content of the instruction. The child’s interest did not guide the learning and early readers often worked on concepts they had already mastered. Early readers also worked independently more often, facilitated by their ability to read instructions. As a result, the individualization that occurred was often simply that children accomplished the same tasks in different amounts of time. This study concluded that the stimulation and support that parents provide can have a significant impact on reading learning and development. It is important that teachers take into account the prior knowledge and experiences that children have, since this can greatly impact their motivation to learn. Reading development does not occur at any one specific age, but can be influenced by a number of factors including the child’s development in other areas, and historical, social, or cultural influences.

Två studier undersökte hur self-efficacy, individens tro på sin förmåga, inverkar på prosocialt beteende i skolmiljö. I Studie 1 besvarade 121 gymnasieelever en enkät, som mätte akademisk och emotionell self-efficacy samt prosocialt beteende. I Studie 2 besvarade 48 gymnasieelever en enkät, som mätte emotionell self-efficacy och prosocialt beteende. Studie 1 visade att akademisk men inte emotionell self-efficacy korrelerade positivt med prosocialt beteende. I begreppet emotionell self-efficacy finns två känsloreaktioner: själv- och andraorienterade. Studie 1 tog hänsyn enbart till självorienterade reaktioner. Eftersom andraorienterade reaktioner saknades, kan det förklara bristen på samband. I Studie 2 korrelerade emotionell self-efficacy positivt med prosocialt beteende, och andraorienterade känsloreaktioner visade sig ha störst betydelse. Andraorienterad emotionell self-efficacy kan antas vara en kraftfull källa till prosocialt beteende i skolmiljö.

Vårt mål med denna studie var att belysa den fysiska klassrumsmiljön och dess inverkan på elevernas lärande ur ett lärarperspektiv. Vi har gjort intervjuer med lärare på olika skolor, både moderna och äldre skolor som är i behov av renovering för att få en bredd och se om lärares tankar och uppfattningar varierar. Med fysisk klassrumsmiljö så har vi inriktat oss på möbleringen, design och funktion. Där det bästa utifrån aspekter på trivsel och inlärningsklimat finns för barnen. Vi har valt att göra intervjuer med lärare för barn i de tidiga åldrarna, skolår 1-3, för att lyssna och få ett värde till varje enskild lärares uppfattningar. Syftet med vår undersökning var att få reda på lärares olika uppfattningar hur de tänker kring den fysiska klassrumsmiljön. Om tanke och handling hänger ihop då lärare planerar så barnen får den bästa lärande miljön i klassrummet. Frågeställningar som vi har arbetat med är: • Vilken betydelse anser lärarna att den fysiska klassrumsmiljön har för elevernas lärande? • Hur anser lärarna att den fysiska klassrumsmiljön möter barns olika förutsättningar för att lära? • Vad i den fysiska klassrumsmiljön anser lärarna bidrar till en kreativ lärandemiljö? / The purpose of our study was to look at the physical classroom environment and how it influences the children’s learning from a teacher’s point of view. We choose to look at classroom environment on the physic aspect and how it influences pedagogic and the teachers’ vision for the students’ best learning. We have done interviews with teachers on different schools, both modern and older schools that need a make-over. This in hope of that it will give us a broad view and see if thoughts in different schools vary. With physic classroom environment as our subject, we have looked on furniture placement, design and function. There you can find the best learning for the children. We have chosen interviews with teachers as work with children in earlier classes’ year 1-3 as method. This we did because we wanted to listen and understand every teacher’s own apprehension. The purpose of our examination was to find the variation of thoughts from teachers about the classroom environment and if there thoughts influence the classrooms furnishing and organization. We wanted to know if thought and action act together when teacher plan for the children’s best learning in the classroom. Our questions that we have worked with are: • What meaning says the teachers the physical classroom environments have for the children’s learning? • How can teachers make the classroom tribute to different children will learn from different learning styles? • What parts in the classroom say the teachers will tribute to a creative learning environment?

The current study explored the association between sexual minorities’ experiences in schools and relationships. Socio-political-psychological theory provided a framework for the exploration of how retrospective reports of sexual orientation violence in school (SOVS) and school environment predicted the experience and perpetration of sexual minority intimate partner violence (SMIPV). Because of its relation to both school and interpersonal violence, alcohol was also hypothesized to predict rates of experiencing and perpetrating SMIPV. Group differences for all scales were explored on the basis of sexual orientation, gender, race/ethnicity, and education. Chi-square and analysis of variance analyses revealed several significant differences. Logistic regressions revealed that the experience of SOVS was not found to significantly affect the risk of experiencing or perpetrating SMIPV. However, a negative school environment was found to affect the risk of experiencing and perpetrating SMIPV differentially by gender and race, respectively. Results also revealed that alcohol significantly predicted the perpetration of SMIPV.

<p>Vårt mål med denna studie var att belysa den fysiska klassrumsmiljön och dess inverkan på elevernas lärande ur ett lärarperspektiv. Vi har gjort intervjuer med lärare på olika skolor, både moderna och äldre skolor som är i behov av renovering för att få en bredd och se om lärares tankar och uppfattningar varierar.</p><p>Med fysisk klassrumsmiljö så har vi inriktat oss på möbleringen, design och funktion. Där det bästa utifrån aspekter på trivsel och inlärningsklimat finns för barnen. Vi har valt att göra intervjuer med lärare för barn i de tidiga åldrarna, skolår 1-3, för att lyssna och få ett värde till varje enskild lärares uppfattningar.</p><p>Syftet med vår undersökning var att få reda på lärares olika uppfattningar hur de tänker kring den fysiska klassrumsmiljön. Om tanke och handling hänger ihop då lärare planerar så barnen får den bästa lärande miljön i klassrummet.</p><p>Frågeställningar som vi har arbetat med är:</p><p>• Vilken betydelse anser lärarna att den fysiska klassrumsmiljön har för elevernas lärande?</p><p>• Hur anser lärarna att den fysiska klassrumsmiljön möter barns olika förutsättningar för att lära?</p><p>• Vad i den fysiska klassrumsmiljön anser lärarna bidrar till en kreativ lärandemiljö?</p> / <p>The purpose of our study was to look at the physical classroom environment and how it influences the children’s learning from a teacher’s point of view. We choose to look at classroom environment on the physic aspect and how it influences pedagogic and the teachers’ vision for the students’ best learning. We have done interviews with teachers on different schools, both modern and older schools that need a make-over. This in hope of that it will give us a broad view and see if thoughts in different schools vary.</p><p>With physic classroom environment as our subject, we have looked on furniture placement, design and function. There you can find the best learning for the children.</p><p>We have chosen interviews with teachers as work with children in earlier classes’ year 1-3 as method. This we did because we wanted to listen and understand every teacher’s own apprehension.</p><p>The purpose of our examination was to find the variation of thoughts from teachers about the classroom environment and if there thoughts influence the classrooms furnishing and organization. We wanted to know if thought and action act together when teacher plan for the children’s best learning in the classroom.</p><p>Our questions that we have worked with are:</p><p>• What meaning says the teachers the physical classroom environments have for the children’s learning?</p><p>• How can teachers make the classroom tribute to different children will learn from different learning styles?</p><p>• What parts in the classroom say the teachers will tribute to a creative learning environment?</p>

<p><b>Objectives.</b>The general objectives of this dissertationwere to examine the effects of acute exposure to meaningfulirrelevant speech and road traffic noise on memory performance,and to explore annoyance responses to noise exposure in theschool environment for pupils and teachers in different agegroups.</p><p><b>Methods</b>. The thesis comprises seven papers, representingdifferent methodological approaches: experiments, surveystudies and interviews. In the experiments, reported in PapersI-V, 288 pupils and teachers participated in the age groups,13-14 years (n=96), 18-20 years (n=96), 35-45 years (n=48) and55-65 years (n=48). The subjects were randomly assigned to oneof three conditions: (a) meaningful irrelevant speech, (b) roadtraffic noise, and (c) silence. The equivalent sound level inthe noise conditions was set to 66 dB(A). A test batteryreflecting episodic and semantic memory were used. The surveystudies, reported in Paper VI and VII, included 207 pupils(M=13.5) and 166 teachers (M=45.9). Two separate questionnairesmainly comprising items about annoyance, noise sensitivity andstress symptoms were administered. Paper VI presents results offocus group interviews (n=16) treating the main topics:disturbing sounds, emotions, ongoing activity, and suggestionsconcerning future changes. Results. The overall findings showedthat both noise sources affected episodic and semantic memoryto the same degree for all age groups. The results indicatedthat the similarity of semantic content between noise and thetask at hand was not the only suitable explanation model, sincea non-speech noise impaired memory as much as speech.</p><p><b>Results</b>also indicated that attention effects did notmediate the obtained noise effects and that the noise effectsdid not differ between age groups. Therefore, it seemedunlikely that different memory and attentional capacities stoodout as explanatory factors of the memory effects. Sinceperformances of both episodic and semantic memory tasks wereimpaired, the explanation based on level of access to long-termmemory was also ruled out. However, the episodic memory task,reading comprehension, stood out to be most impaired by noise,suggesting that complexity of the task to perform was ofimportance. For reading comprehension there was also adifferent noise pattern obtained. Participants performance wasin this task, more impaired by meaningful irrelevant speechthan by road traffic noise. This effect indicated thatmeaningful irrelevant speech might reduce the availablecognitive resources necessary for learning the text. Theannoyance models derived from the survey studies indicated thatsensitivity acted as a mediator between hearing status andannoyance, with stress symptoms as an outcome. Whetherannoyance arises or not was also determined by control andpredictability of the noise. In the interviews a differentannoyance pattern was found, in that stress symptoms appearedto be a determinant of annoyance. To be involved, respected,take own responsibility and respect others were suggestions onhow to change the environment to become more silent.</p><p><b>Conclusions.</b>For both pupils and teachers acute exposureto meaningful irrelevant speech and road traffic noiseinfluenced both the achieving and providing of knowledge. Acommon annoyance pattern was also found for pupils andteachers, where individual and situational factors were ofimportance. To achieve a more silent school environment in thefuture, the pupils pointed out that the interaction betweenthemselves and their teachers was of importance.</p><p><b>Key words:</b>Noise, meaningful irrelevant speech, roadtraffic noise, memory, age groups, school environment, pupils,teachers</p>