This study focused on curriculum development in biology education. It was based on the present biology curricula from grade 10-12. The purpose of the study was to investigate the attitudes of secondary school learners towards involvement in curriculum development and specific biology content areas of all three grades. The assumption was that future curriculum planning and development in science (biology) education should consider learners' preferences, interests and needs. For the empirical investigation, a sample of 666 grades 10, 11 and 12 learners from three different school types (rural, ex-model C and private schools) in the Northern Province completed an attitude questionnaire. Statistical analysis of the results led to the following findings, amongst others. • With regard to willingness to be involved in curriculum development, the results were as follows: (a) Significant differences were found between learners when age and school type were used as moderator variables. (b) No significant differences were found when grade and gender were used as moderator variables. Regarding the attitudes of learners towards involvement in curriculum development and specific biology content, some low but significant relationships and a number of significant differences were found between learners' attitudes towards involvement in curriculum development and specific biology content for all the grades. In each instance, age, gender and school type were also taken into consideration. These findings suggest a complete and significant restructuring of the biology curriculum in secondary schools. A learner-centred curriculum design that actively involves learners in decision-making will consider the needs and interests of learners. This is seen as appropriate in an outcomes-based approach and may lead to more motivated learners. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Department of Psychology of Education)

The funding regimens of Higher education institutions (HEIs) present a challenge to every institution. It is expected that students who are selected to register for degrees or diplomas must be successful and obtain their qualifications in the minimum time required to ensure optimum subsidy for the institution. The throughput rates in higher education institutions remains of serious concern and emphasis on the selection criteria or prerequisites to enter a specific programme might be a possible factor in the throughput rates of students. The aim of this study was to identify and describe whether basic nursing students who passed Grade 12 Biology, currently referred to as Life Science, with at least 50% was a factor in the successful completion of the Biological and Natural Science module (BNS 100) in their first year. A quantitative research study was conducted in one government nursing college, Gauteng province in Tshwane region in South Africa. A checklist was used to collect data from the 2014 first-year student records and a questionnaire was used to collect data from the 2015 second-year students. No sampling was done since all the 2014 first-year students’ admission records were accessed for data collection and all the available second-year students of 2015 were invited to participate. The findings revealed that background knowledge of Grade 12 Life Science and English language proficiency could be associated with the academic performance in the BNS100 module of the basic nursing students. The findings might be used to make recommendations for possible prerequisites for entry into a nursing programme as well as to support students’ education and training to ensure a reduction in student attrition rates and improve the shortage of nurses. The findings motivated the researcher to recommend that the college under study, and other HIEs with similar concerns and student profiles should revise the selection and recruitment criteria for students to enter the basic nursing programme. This might contribute to selecting the correct prospective candidates who would have a better chance of completing their basic training in the four-year time as the expected period to complete the programme. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)