Published Article / The medical biological and ecosystemic models are two paradigms which are currently making a huge impact on education support services on an international level. The medical biological model has been dominating the way in which multidisciplinary support has been delivered within 20th-century special education. However, with the advent of inclusive education, the ecosystemic model has initially been pushed to the fore as the preferred metatheory of support services. This article specifically interrogates these two conflicting paradigms in education support services within the South African schooling and higher education bands, as well as Bronfenbrenner's integration of these models with regard to the bio-ecological model. Finally, this article proposes the bio-ecosystemic framework according to which the training of multidisciplinary education support services staff should proceed in order to ensure a sound and less conflicting theoretical framework.

This study intends to explore the very relevant and current issue of violence at school level. Through this case study the experiences of an educator with regard to violence in a secondary school are explored.</p.> Data for this study was collected through observation and unstructured interviews with the participant. Data collected was analysed through several phases of establishing thematic categories. This analysis was done within the parameters of a scientific literature framework. The six main categories were discussed and interpreted in terms of literature to provide the findings portrayed by the study. To ensure the dependability and quality of the data the study incorporated member checking and literature control. An attempt was made to contribute to, and expand upon, the existing body of knowledge with regard to this very important phenomenon. The results of this study show that the educator experiences violence in school as a very serious reality. This study argues that the causes of school violence should be studied from an integrative perspective and it supports the Bio-Ecological Systems theory as a multi-dimensional approach to understanding school violence. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of a secondary school teacher from Gauteng who was a victim of learner cyber bullying. Cyber bullying of teachers is a relatively under researched phenomenon in South Africa and can be a painful event for many teachers. The ultimate goal of this study was to raise awareness about learner cyber bullying and the effect it had on the emotional and professional well-being of the participant. Awareness about this phenomenon might lead to better support and understanding by different role players such as departments of education, principals, unions, communities, learners, educational psychologists and other teachers. I followed a qualitative research approach, guided by an interpretivist epistemology. I employed a descriptive case study design and purposefully selected a single secondary school teacher as my unit of analysis. Data for this study was collected through a semi-structured interview with the participant in order to explore his experiences relating to learner cyber bullying. In addition to the semi-structured interview I used observation, field notes, audio recording and a research diary for data collection purposes. The collected data was analyzed through several phases to establish thematic categories. Twenty six sub-categories of learner cyber bullying were identified from the experiences of the participant which were grouped under six main categories that was discussed and interpreted in order to provide the findings portrayed by the study. The six main categories included: type of cyber bullying experienced, causes of cyber bullying, characteristics of cyber bullies, response to cyber bullying, outcomes after taking action, and results of protective factors. To ensure the trustworthiness and quality of the data, the study incorporated member checking, peer debriefing and literature control. Based on the findings of the study, I concluded that the teacher experienced learner cyber bulling primary as a negative and painful reality. The cyber bullying incident had a damaging impact on the participant’s emotional and professional well-being. In addition, the study also indicated that the participant, after addressing the cyber bullying incident, experienced some positive outcomes. Being able to share his experiences with the larger teaching community helped him to overcome some of the indignity he experienced due to the learner cyber bullying. An attempt was made to raise awareness of this phenomenon and to provide effective strategies to prevent and counter its impact on the teaching community. This study can be used as a platform for larger research projects to about the experiences of teachers as victims of cyber bullying. / Mini-dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of Grade 5 learners after being taught Natural Sciences by means of an enriched curriculum in the Win-LIFE (Wellness in Lifestyle, Intake, Fitness and Environment intervention) project. My focus thus fell on learners’ voices and perceptions, and more specifically with regard to the knowledge and skills that they gained in the Natural Sciences subject, as a result of a health-promotion intervention. For this purpose, I relied on Bronfenbrenner’s Bio-Ecological model (2005) as theoretical framework, and explored the learners’ experiences in a specific sub-system, being the Natural Sciences classroom and curriculum. I furthermore aimed to gain insight into how this can potentially be applied to other systems such as their home environments and personal lives. I used the interpretivist paradigm as meta-theory and followed a qualitative approach. I selected a case study design, applying Participatory Reflection and Action (PRA) principles, thereby aligning my study’s design to the broader research project for data generation and documentation I relied on multiple data generation sources, such as PRA-based workshops/discussions, observation, field notes, visual data documentation techniques and reflective journals to generate and document data. Following inductive thematic analysis three main themes and related subthemes emerged. Firstly, the experiential learning approach that was followed when implementing the intervention had positive outcomes in terms of learners’ attitudes toward learning, their commitment and self-confidence to make contributions in class, and their experiences of the learning process. Secondly, learners gained the necessary knowledge and skills of the Grade 5 Natural Sciences curriculum, and valued the practical experiences they acquired. In addition to their newly gained knowledge and skills being retained after a year, they finally also transferred the content to their parents, caregivers and family members, and reportedly applied what they had learned at home in their personal lives. Based on the findings of the study I can conclude that the learners experienced the enriched Natural Sciences curriculum in a positive manner and that their experiences resulted in positive outcomes and benefits for themselves and also those in their immediate environment. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

The purpose of the study was to explore and understand how orphaned adolescents in grandparent-headed households achieve healthy functioning and how they rise above unfavourable circumstances. In exploring and gaining understanding, the research was approached from an interpertivist stance as it entails an inductive qualitative enquiry suitable to gaining a better understanding of the experiences and perceptions of orphaned adolescents. A qualitative methodological design was followed to ensure that the research questions could be answered. Purposive sample selection was used to select participants for this research study. The sample included nine adolescent orphans who reside in grandparent-headed households and are affiliated with Stanza Bopape Community Centre. Data collection included biographical questions, focus group interview and semi-structured interviews. Five of the nine participants took part in a focus group interview and the remaining four participated in individual semi-structured interviews. All interviews were conducted and transcribed by the researcher. Inductive thematic analyses was utilised to identify themes which emerged from the data. The themes which emerged were: the person I am, the supportive roles in parenting, role models in my life, things that are important to me, the future in me. These themes reflect the factors which contribute to the participants’ resilience and can be deduced as the mediating factors which assist them in achieving healthy functioning. The risks identified are aligned with residing in a township and attending a township school, however these risks were not experienced as demotivating adversities for the participants. They rather viewed them as motivating factors to achieve a better future. Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological theory served as the theoretical foundation for the study and it emerged that factors which contribute to the orphaned adolescents’ resilience (maintaining factors) come from various systems. Based on the findings of the study it can be concluded that orphaned adolescents residing in grandparent-headed households, although generally of low socio-economic status, are aware of their challenges and utilise certain processes to strengthen their resilience and overcome their challenges. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2018. / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

Full implementation of special schools converted into special school resource centres in South Africa need to be finalised by 2021, as specified in the Education White Paper 6. The purpose of special school resource centres is firstly to provide necessary resources for the education and training of learners experiencing serious barriers to learning, and secondly to provide, together with the district-based support teams, guidance and support to full-service schools and main stream schools. Despite these expectations and goals, many special schools are not fully strengthened and functional yet. Role-players involved at special school resource centres often feel unequipped to successfully manage their centres in the absence of human resources, knowledge and infrastructure. Against this background, the purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding on how the asset-based approach could be utilised in supporting (or not) the more efficient functioning of a rural resource-constrained special school resource centre in the North West province, South Africa. The asset-based approach and bio-ecological model was used as conceptual framework for the study. Qualitative research was elected as methodological paradigm and an instrumental case study as research design. Interpretivism was selected as meta-theory. One rural resource-constrained special school resource centre was selected through convenience sampling, and eight participants were purposefully selected. Data was collected with individual semi-structured interviews, a focus group discussion, and observation; and documented in audio recorded verbatim transcripts, photographs, field notes and a research journal. Following thematic data analysis, three main themes emerged: identified assets and resources at the resource-constrained special school resource centre (natural assets and resources, human resources, physical resources, and resources for gardening); challenges at the resource-constrained special school resource centre (limited physical space, challenges related to the use of technology, additional responsibilities and related time constraints, and participants? location in relation to the special school resource centre); ways in which mobilised assets and resources supported the functioning of the resource-constrained special school resource centre (financial support for the special school resource centre, supporting the National School Nutrition Programme, strengthening partnerships that could support the functioning of the special school resource centre, skills development as outcome of the two asset-based projects, and intra and interpersonal qualities as a result of implementing the asset-based approach). It was therefore found that the implementation of the asset-based approach is one way to support the functioning of a resource-constrained special school resource centre. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

No description available.

Autobiographical life-writing as literary métissage about cool through stories grounded in auto-ethnographic reflection as a|r|t|ographer. An act of literary sharing. A past to present summed up as parts, as portraits or vignettes, building towards an attempted understanding of cool. Introspective reflection on cool supported by photographs, drawing, paintings, and poetry. A consideration of Franco Ontarian minority language secondary school population adolescent conceptions and notions of cool (Drolet et al, 2009). An inquiry into cool presented as a bioecological album (Urie Bronfenbrenner, 1979, 1994). A life-long journey from developing childhood cool to middle school cachet cool to high school contrarian cool to old school cool. Childhood to contrarian to cachet to Bieber’d [fucked] to adult cool. Historical cool. What is cool?

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into a teacher’s experience in implementing the asset-based approach to teach Life Orientation to a Grade 7 class. More specifically I explored expected and unexpected benefits as well as challenges in relation to the implementation of asset-based teaching. My working assumptions were that both teachers and learners possess assets that may support teaching and learning and that the process of asset-based teaching can support teachers to attend to a variety of needs in one classroom. Nested within the wider positive psychology paradigm I relied on the asset-based approach as theoretical framework. I conducted qualitative research following an instrumental case study research design, applying participatory action research principles. Meta-theoretically I framed the study within Interpretivism in order to obtain an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon under investigation. One Grade 7 teacher was selected as participant through purposeful sampling. A government primary school in Pretoria was selected conveniently. I used semi-structured interviews, analysis of existing documents and artefacts, and observation to collect data, that were documented in the form of verbatim transcripts, photographs, field notes and a research journal. Following thematic data analysis three main themes emerged related to the process of asset-based teaching, positive changes of assetbased teaching, and challenges associated with asset-based teaching. In identifying assets within the classroom (Theme 1), the teacher in this study became aware of both the learners’ and her own assets that could be mobilised to support teaching and learning. Assets identified within the different systems of the bio-ecological model and own action plan were used to support the mobilisation of assets. Ownership and commitment formed an essential part of the phase of managing assets. Positive changes that were identified subsequent to implementing asset-based teaching (Theme 2) relate to increased confidence and self-knowledge of learners and the teacher, identification of assets, enablement in the classroom, recognising the value of reflection in teaching, focusing away from learners’ needs towards their assets and strengths, increased motivation and trust amongst learners, a decrease in behaviour difficulties, and learners working more independently. Challenges that were identified in implementing asset-based teaching (Theme 3) include an increased workload and responsibility in teaching, difficulty to focus away from needs to strengths, lack of sustainability of positive changes, behaviour challenges, limited understanding of asset-based terminology, difficulty to integrate asset-based teaching into the curriculum of various learning areas, high teacher-learner ratios, socio-economic challenges, the needs-based orientation of society, and limited support to learners from home. Based on the findings of the study I conclude that asset-based teaching can be viewed as a suitable alternative way of teaching, following the dynamic process of identifying, mobilising and managing assets. In this manner, the diverse needs of learners may be addressed in one classroom. In addition the study indicates that asset-based teaching may support adolescents in dealing with developmental changes. # Additional information of the Appendices are kept on Level 3 Merensky Library. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Educational Psychology / Unrestricted

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / Substance abuse is recognised as one of the greatest health and social problems in South Africa (SA). There is a need to explore the problem of substance use in the South African context in terms of the Bio-ecological Systems Theoretical Framework. All of the reviewed local and international studies on instruments that are used to measure factors associated with adolescent substance use, while yielding useful information; do not adequately address the issues of an instrument that successfully includes all the levels of the Bio-ecological Systems Theoretical Framework at the dimension level. As a result, a need for an applicable instrument exists. The overall purpose of the current study was to evaluate the content validity of the dimensions of the proposed self-administered questionnaire in terms of the Bio-ecological Systems Theoretical Framework, which will assist the factors associated with youth at risk of substance abuse in low socio economic status communities in the South African context. The study was framed in psychometric test theory focusing specifically on the procedures for content validation. It is being increasingly recognized that the development of a valid test requires multiple procedures, which are employed sequentially, at different stages of test construction. Validity is thus built into the test development from the outset. Participants were selected by means of purposive sampling. The sampling method was appropriate since the participants were required to meet certain inclusive criteria. The participants comprised of two groups of community leaders within two different communities on the Cape Flats. An adapted version of the Nominal Group Technique method was employed to collect data. The data for aim one was collected using a self administered questionnaire (Content Validity Questionnaire) consisting of two sections. The first section was presented in the form of a ranking scale with all relevant factors associated with adolescent substance use. The second section of part 1 was in the form of open-ended questions. The second aim was collected in the form of focus groups. Data was analysed quantitatively and qualitatively in the relevant sections. Data collected from the Content Validity Questionnaire (CVQ) was analysed quantitatively by means of statistical analysis making use of frequencies, and the open-ended questions of the content validity and data from the focus groups was analysed qualitatively by means of thematic analysis. The study concluded that all factors presented in the CVQ are important factors associated with adolescent substance use in the two low socio-economic statuses communities that were analysed in both the quantitative and qualitative components of the study.