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Includes bibliography. / The aim of this thesis research was to replicate the important work conducted by Noel Entwistle and Paul Ramsden, published in 1983, which sought to establish the relationship between perceived contextual factors and students' approaches to studying. The two instruments that they developed for this purpose, the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) and the Course Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ), were administered to 1194 English-speaking and 590 Afrikaans-speaking students in 12 disciplinary areas at the Cape Technikon. Alpha factor analysis of the 24 summated sub-scales of the two inventories was conducted separately for the two samples. When these were compared with the factor structure obtained in the Lancaster research programme certain differences were evident. Although the two main study orientation, meaning orientation and reproducing orientation, were present in slightly modified forms, there were no empirical associations between these two orientations and the contextual factors as measured by the sub-scales of the CPQ. In order to explore the differences between the factor structures of the Lancaster programme and the two Technikon samples, the conceptual assumptions regarding the first order factor structure of the two instruments were relaxed. Firstly the 103 items of both instruments together were subjected to alpha factor analysis and subsequently the 63 variables of the ASI and the 40 variables of the CPQ were subjected to separate alpha factor analysis. These analyses confirmed the integrity of the majority of the sub-scales of the ASI while calling into question the composition and indeed the conceptual validity of the sub- scale surface approach. The factor analysis of the CPQ variables confirmed the sub-scale groupings, but the analysis of the 103 variables failed to demonstrate any empirical association between the two instruments. The replicative study concludes that the CPQ is of no value in terms of explaining students' approaches to studying. The ASI, however, appears to be a useful instrument which produces conceptually meaningful results for different population samples with respect to the two main study orientations. Areas which warrant investigation for the refinement of the ASI were identified and alternative methodologies to explore perceived contextual factors in conjunction with the ASI are suggested.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Educational Psychology at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2010. / This study focuses on a vital component of the transformation process on the South African educational landscape - district based Department of Education officials. This descriptive research project had three aims. Firstly; the study determined the nature of the attitudes of Department of Education officials based at the Pinetown District towards the inclusion of learners with learning difficulties at mainstream primary schools. Secondly, the study examined the impact of nine selected demographic characteristics of district based officials on their attitudes towards inclusion. Lastly, the study determined the degree of concern that district based Department of Education officials experienced towards 10 selected factors (eg. large classes, training of educators, curriculum adaptation, extra pay for teachers, time for teacher planning) in the implementation of inclusive education at mainstream primary schools. The research instrument employed in the study was a questionnaire, which was administered to all eligible Pinetown District based officials. Ultimately, 62 respondents were recognized as the members of the sample in the study. Quantitative data was analysed using both descriptive and parametric statistics. Qualitative data was content analysed to discern emerging themes. The results of the study indicated that Pinetown District based Department of Education officials generally hold positive attitudes towards the inclusion of learners with learning difficulties at mainstream primary schools. In addition the study found that the following five demographic characteristics are significant predictors of Department of Education district officials positive attitudes towards the inclusion of learners with learning difficulties at mainstream primary schools - training in special/inclusive education, contact with people with disabilities, experience in teaching learners with disabilities, knowledge of White Paper 6 (Department of Education, 2001) and the workstation of the officials. Lastly, the study concluded that district based Department of Education officials were very concerned that the 10 factors (eg. teacher workloads, provision of a support teacher, availability of resources, support of school management teams and the impact of included learner on the performance on the non-disabled learners) collectively could impede the successful implementation of inclusive education at South African schools.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION in the Department of Educational Psychology of the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 2002. / The aim of this investigation was to establish the effect of the invitational attitude of teachers on the culture of teaching and learning. This entailed a detailed literature study of the factors affecting the culture of teaching and learning at schools, viz. school related factors, factors in the family and living environment, societal factors and personal characteristics. A further literature study on the invitational attitude of teachers and its effect on the culture of teaching and learning at schools were done. South African education is presently facing major challenges. It is widely recognised that it is essential to transform the apartheid-based system of the past into an egalitarian one. There were imbalances and inequalities amongst separate education departments. The blacks were the most disadvantaged. From the empirical investigation it was concluded that the quality of an education system is more dependent on the attitude of the teachers than any other single factor. The absence of a culture of teaching and learning in schools can be reversed by the inviting attitude of the teachers who by estabhshing a personal relationship, frees the learner to learn and leads him to adulthood. For the purpose of the empirical investigation a prepared questionnaire was administered to 300 grade 12 learners of six secondary schools (two predominately black schools, two predominately coloured schools and two predominately Indian schools). The data obtained from the completed questionnaire were processed and analysed by means of descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings confirmed that the invitational attitude of teachers plays a significant role in promoting the culture of teaching and learning. In conclusion, a summary and findings emanating from the literature study and the descriptive and inferential statistics were presented. Based on these findings the following recommendations were made: ❖ All teachers should be governed by a code of conduct that will prohibit unprofessional disinviting behaviour. ❖ All learners should be governed by a code of conduct that will enhance positive behaviour and attitude towards learning. ❖ Further research must be done regarding the invitational attitude of teachers and its effect on the culture of teaching and learning.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor Educationis in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education Faculty of Education University of Zululand, South Africa, 2012. / The aim of this investigation was to determine learners’ attitudes towards language choice in secondary school. The focus was on secondary school learners attending schools where the medium of instruction is not in their mother tongue. An introductory literature review was provided of mother tongue education versus English as medium of instruction. Advocates of mother tongue education argue that a child learns better and quicker through the mother tongue than through an unfamiliar linguistic medium and it is also an important means of identification among the members of the community to which the child belongs. However, black communities are generally opposed to instruction in their home language because they view the indigenous languages as low status languages and as barriers to their upward mobility in a world dominated by English. In the South African society English is associated with prestige as it is in many other countries. An overview of the current language-in-education practices in South African high schools revealed that depending on which language is taught, as first language either English or Afrikaans is compulsory as a second language. English, as a first language and Afrikaans, which is their third or fourth language, as a second language. The problems experienced with second language instruction were discussed with reference to reading, writing, speaking and listening. For the purpose of the empirical investigation, a self-structured interview was conducted with the educators. A quantitative descriptive analysis was undertaken of the completed questionnaires and a qualitative analysis of the interviews. In conclusion a summary of the study and findings emanating from the literature and empirical investigation was presented. Based on these findings the following recommendations were made:  A school based language policy should be formulated in accordance with the national language-in-education policy but must also take into consideration the language needs of the learners in the school.  Indigenous languages must be developed and promoted by providing financial assistance and/or incentives for literature works and textbooks in the indigenous languages.  Educator training should include strategies to teach multilingual classes.

Submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education in the Department of Curriculum & Instructional Studies at the University of Zululand, 2008. / The present study examiners principals' knowledge about and attitudes towards inclusive education. The first aim of the study was to ascertain the extent to which principals know about inclusive education and a child with special educational needs. The second aim was to determine whether principals' biographical factors (gender, teaching experience and phase of the school) have any influence on their knowledge about inclusive education and a child with a special educational needs. The third aim was to ascertain the nature of principals' attitudes towards inclusive education. The fourth aim was to determine whether principals' biographical factors (gender, teaching experience and phase of the school) have any influence on their attitudes towards inclusive education. The last aim was to determine whether there is any relationship between principals' knowledge and attitudes regarding inclusive education. To this end, a questionnaire was administered to a randomly selected sample of two hundred and twelve principals. The findings reveal that principals differ in the extent to which they know about inclusive education and a child with special educational needs. A high percentage (65.1%) of principals report a high level of knowledge about inclusive education and a child with special educational needs. The findings also show that teaching experience has an influence of principals' knowledge about inclusive education and a child with special educational needs. The findings also indicate that a high percentage (60.8%) of principals hold a positive attitude towards inclusive education. The findings further reveal that gender, teaching experience and phase of the school have no influence on principals' attitudes towards inclusive education. The last findings show that there is a positive relationship between principals' knowledge about an attitudes towards inclusive education. On the basis of the findings of this study, recommendations to the Department of Education as well as for directing future research were made.

The following question was investigated for each of several biographical variables: Are there significant differences in the work values, as measured by the Ohio Work Values Inventory (OWVI), and personal values (terminal and instrumental), as measured by the Rokeach Value Survey (RVS), of instructors in Oregon community colleges? Comparisons were made by job status (part-time/full-time), teaching assignment, sex, number of years teaching, age, degree held, other employment of instructor, geographic location of college, and vocational certificate held. A multivariate ANOVA (followed by univariate ANOVAs and Modified LSDs as needed) was performed separately on the OWVI scales, the RVS Terminal Values, and the RVS Instrumental Values. The initial sample included 984 Oregon community college instructors, partitioned by teaching status, teaching assignment, and geographic location. The responding sample included 212 full-time and 288 part-time faculty. The rank order of the OWVI means for instructors was: Task Satisfaction; Self Realization; Ideas/Data; Altruism; Independence; Security; Money; Control; Object Orientation; Prestige and Solitude. The rank order for RVS Terminal Values for instructors was: Health, Self Respect, Family Security; Freedom; Inner Harmony; A Sense of Accomplishment; Wisdom, Mature Love; True Friendship; A World at Peace, An Exciting Life; Equality; A World of Beauty; A Comfortable Life; Salvation; Pleasure; National Security and Social Recognition. The rank order for RVS Instrumental Values for instructors was: Honest, Responsible; Loving; Capable; Independent; Intellectual; Helpful; Broadminded; Courageous; Forgiving; Loyal (tied with Forgiving); Logical; Ambitious; Self Controlled; Polite; Clean and Obedient. When sex, teaching experience, age, highest degree held, other employment/no other employment, and college location were used as independent variables, statistically significant differences were found in each set of dependent variables, with the exception of instrumental values for teaching experience and college location, and terminal values for college location. Of 396 correlations between the OWVI scales and the RVS values, 162 were significant at the .05 level (41%). The signs of the correlations indicated a logical relation between the two instruments.

The two research questions of the study were: (1) Is the job satisfaction of school district administrators related to the personal factors of group membership and sex? (2) What are the sources of overall job satisfaction? Do they confirm findings from previous studies in which autonomy, responsibility, the work itself, growth, recognition, feedback, achievement, and interpersonal relationships were found to be major contributors to job satisfaction? Utilizing the Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) developed by Hackman and Oldham and free response questions, ratings of job satisfaction were obtained to determine if sex and group membership (elementary principal, secondary principal and vice principal, or central office administrator) made a difference in the level of job satisfaction. The findings from the two research questions were: (1) Group membership and sex do not significantly relate to job satisfaction. (2) Approximately 22% of job satisfaction for administrators was attributed to autonomy and feedback from the work itself. Data gathered from the free response questions did reveal some differences in the sources of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction according to group membership. The main sources of satisfaction--regardless of group membership--involved the work itself, achievement, and interpersonal relationships. Recognition was also seen as a source of satisfaction at the central office and secondary level. Student performance and interaction was seen as a primary source of satisfaction at the elementary and secondary level. Autonomy was a main source of satisfaction at both the elementary and central office level. The main sources of dissatisfaction--regardless of group membership--involved amount of work, lack of feedback, constraints, and administrative policies. While interpersonal relationships were seen as sources of satisfaction by 25% of those responding administrators in central office positions, 60% of the responding administrators identified them as sources of dissatisfaction. The findings of this study imply that boards of education and upper-echelon administrators should be aware of the motivational potential in the two factors of autonomy and feedback and in the identified areas of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Opportunities which allow for greater administrator autonomy and feedback should be expanded in order to increase job satisfaction.

This experimental study grew out of the ideas gleaned from a review of literature which indicated that the attitudinal role of the classroom teacher serves as a model for students. A justification of the need to modify behaviors toward the hearing-impaired became apparent. The significance of effective workshop procedures could result in notable implications for school district planning and implementation of an in-service education plan. An experimental study was conducted to determine if teacher attitudes toward the hearing-impaired can be modified using two types of in-service workshops, passive versus active participation. Three groups of randomly selected regular classroom teachers at the elementary level from a West coast suburban school district were used for this investigation (Ṉ=86). One group served as a control, a second group participated in active involvement workshops regarding the hearing-impaired student, and the third group attended passive involvement workshops regarding the hearing impaired student. Immediately following the workshops, participants were administered two scales designed to measure attitudes toward the hearing-impaired. The research hypothesis for the study was that not all subpopulation means of the scores of teachers for both scales will be equal. (H₁: not all's are equal.) The statistical hypothesis stated that all subpopulation means of the scores of teachers for both scales will be equal. The results, after submitting the data to SPSS Subprogram, ONEWAY (Nie et al., 1975), with alpha set at .05 yielded no statistically significant differences among the groups. The statistical hypothesis was not rejected. The results of this study imply the need for school districts to pre-test teachers' attitudes in determining a need for specific in-service courses. School districts should consider requiring in-service courses for teachers whose pre-test scores indicate negative attitudes. Another implication to consider for effective in-service education is the duration of the workshop. The workshops designed for this study were one hour in length and did not result in effective modification of attitudes toward the hearing-impaired. This investigation suggests that research is needed to establish the relationship between effective in-service training and positive attitude development.

Social psychologists believe that attitudes occur both implicitly and explicitly suggesting that people can think, feel, and behave in ways that are counter to their outward views. Researchers within the field of instructional technology have proposed treatments for explicit attitude manipulation within an instructional situation but have yet to implement strategies that encompass implicit attitudes. Researchers from both fields concur that attitudes are malleable and can be manipulated with appropriate intervention strategies (Bertrand et al., 2005; Dasgupta & Greenwald, 2001; Dick & Carey, 1996; Gagné, Briggs, & Wager, 1988; Kamradt & Kamradt, 1999; Krathwohl, Bloom, & Masia, 1964). The purpose of this study was to investigate  the effectiveness of instructional design strategies intended to influence implicit and explicit attitudes in the direction of a  target attitude. The predominant strategies for attitude manipulation prescribed in the instructional design and technology literature were combined and adapted for online delivery. In addition, proven strategies from social psychology research were integrated into the existing instructional design strategies for implicit attitude manipulation. The independent variable for this experimental study consisted of the prescribed instructional strategies for influencing both implicit and explicit attitudes. For the purpose of this study, the attitude that the instruction was designed to address was the reduction of biased-based policing, thus, the dependent variables were implicit attitudes as measured by the Race Implicit Association Test (IAT), and explicit attitudes as measured by the Symbolic Racism Test 2000 (SR2K). Fifty volunteers were randomly assigned to one of two instructional modules. One module served as a control for 25 of the participants. The second module served as a treatment for the remaining 25 participants. The treatment was based on the incorporation of the recommended strategies for attitudinal instruction found in the literature. Implicit attitude assessment revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between the control and treatment groups as measured by the Race Implicit Association Test (Race IAT). Furthermore, explicit attitude assessment also revealed that that there was no statistically significant difference between the control and treatment groups as measured by the Symbolic Racism Test 2000 (SR2K). However, there were several limitations that may have affected the study. As a result, we still do not know for certain how the incorporation of attitudinal strategies within web-based instruction influence implicit and explicit attitudes. / Ph. D.