Thesis (Ph. D. (Education )) -- University of the North, 2003 / Refer to the document

Thesis (M. Ed.) -- University of Limpopo, 1981 / Refer to the document

Academic Support Programmes in South Africa are confronted with the seemingly impossible task of producing "programmes" which will assist growing numbers of Black students in their adaptation to the academic tasks. These tasks are demanded of Black students within tertiary institutions with a largely westernized cultural form of education. Despite the existence of institutions such as the Medical School of the University of Natal which has been training Black medical students for over thirty five years, little substantive research has been conducted into the processes of adaptation which Black students have undergone in coming to terms with the cognitive demands of academic tasks within universities. Instead, institutions such as the Medical School have found themselves embroiled in long ,standing controversies which essentially attempt to apportion blame for high failure rates on either students or staff members. This research adopts a dialectical approach to the learning teaching situations and focuses specifically on Black medical students' adaptation to the cognitive task demands of Physiology. The research uses a rational reconstructive paradigm to instantiate Feuerstein's "deficient cognitive functions" in the cognitive manifestations of second year medical students. This instantiation lays the groundwork for an investigation into the "content less cognitive processes" (cf. Feuerstein) underlying the learning-teaching dialectic in Physiology. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, 1990.

Though the political unrest in African schools has been broadly viewed as arising from the power struggle between the state and the liberation forces, in rural areas the question of violence should also be looked into in the context of the emergence of conflicting views between Inkatha and the African National Congress (ANC). Political contradictions have emerged for various reasons. One of the reasons has been the desire to preserve the traditional political system, the tribal authority system. The liberation forces view the present forms of traditional political structures as parts of apartheid political organs, in that, since the introduction of the Bantu Authority system in the early 1950s and later on the formation of homeland governments in the early 1970s, they have been performing the functions assigned to them by the state. However, despite the reality that traditional political structures are functional to the state, they, at the same time, remain the authentic and legitimate political organs representing the aspirations of a significant fraction of rural communities. What needs to be taken seriously into consideration in analysing the rural political situation is the fact that the apartheid policy was ingeniously designed and predicated upon a tradition which was still held in esteem when it was subordinated by the colonising nations. This tradition was then enshrined in the apartheid programme, or, put differently, apartheid was camouflaged by it. Therefore it is a simplistic view to over emphasise the functional role of the traditional political system. The desire to preserve the present form of political system could be attributed either to the success of the policy of separate development or the fear for the annihilation of traditional structures in the new political dispensation or both. This study looks at the political dynamics and how it has precipitated violent confrontation among the oppressed people. It focuses on how schools in rural areas of KwaZulu have been affected. Principals were asked to express their views on their perceptions of violence. The conclusion drawn from respondents is that pupils are defiant because parents and teachers have been unable to fight for the rights of their children. For example they have been unable to provide them with adequate education. The author ends by recommending that parents and teachers should take up their rightful places in society. That is they should take upon themselves the responsibility of providing adequate education for the children. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, 1992.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1989.

The Natal Education Department's "Native" education system which functioned from 1910 to 1953 has often been termed a good example of "liberal" education for Africans. However an investigation into the administrative structure and curricula content of this education order proved that numerous similarities existed between "Native" education, as formulated by the Natal Education Department, and "Bantu" education as established by the Nationalist government as part of its apartheid program. "Native" education in Natal could be considered a forerunner of "Bantu" education. Both systems were designed to achieve similar aims, eg. to maintain the social divisions, aid in the reproduction of semi-skilled labour and bolster the reserve system and migrant labour system. Course content was geared, in both "Native" and "Bantu" education, to promote a specific way of life for the African - a life that was both rural and agrarian in nature. A continuity of both method and aim existed between the two education orders. In effect, despite the different rhetoric and arguments used by the authorities of these two education systems, both implemented systems aimed at maintaining segregation. Emphasis is placed on exposing the true character of "Native" education as well as developing the argument that "Native" and "Bantu" education should be seen as the continuation of a specific education order rather than two distinct and different systems. This study focuses on Natal's 'Native' education and reveals it as a system designed to promote segregation and protect white interests. It too did not have the true interests of African children at heart. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, 1990.

The aim of my research was examine the impact of race, class and gender in Ottawa's educational system. I sought to find out if these factors played a role in the streaming of Black youths in basic or vocational programs and, if so, to what degree. While looking at the issue, I examined the narratives of both middle-class and working-class students and parents. / The study found that a student's socio-economic background largely determine her/his educational stream, be it basic, general or advanced. For example, all the participants in the vocational stream were working-class students while the participants that were streamed into the university bound program were from middle-class families. Teachers within the system also treated the parents differently. Middle-class parents had a greater degree of reciprocity between themselves and teachers compared to working-class parents.

Mapwork is an established part of the geography curriculum, and yet it poses particular problems for pupils and teachers. Maps participate in a complex system of graphic communication: the conceptual abstraction involved in the reading and interpretation of maps requires on the part of pupils a high degree of cognitive and perceptual development; teachers, too, often experience considerable difficulty in imparting the skills necessary for graphic literacy (graphicacy). The peculiar difficulties associated with map reading and the poor performance of pupils in this area have regrettably encouraged an attitude which dismisses mapwork as irrelevant or dispensable in geographical education. Yet graphicacy is essential not only in the learning of geography but in the overall cognitive development of the child, and therefore cannot be excluded from the curriculum. This study attempts to identify some of the specific difficulties experienced by pupils in their attempts to read and interpret maps, and to trace the origin of these difficulties. It argues that the complexity and sophistication of the skills necessary to interpret topographical maps and aerial photographs, for instance, should not be underestimated. Teachers need to be made aware of how pupils acquire map reading skills and of the problems they encounter during this process, so that teaching programmes commensurate with pupils' level of cognitive development can be formulated. It is also important that mapwork be taught in as practical a manner as possible. The findings and recommendations of this study have implications for geography teachers, textbook writers and educational authorities, especially those involved in curriculum and syllabus design.

The understanding of geographical concepts and the development of skills requires the use of appropriate teaching strategies. Modern school syllabuses emphasize the development of concepts and skills which are basic to the understanding of geography. Geography provides practical learning opportunities which directly involve the learner. Techniques which directly involve the learner are perceived to be the most valuable. Fieldwork, which embraces a wide range of innovative teaching strategies, is the one best suited to give first-hand experience to the pupils. This study investigates the potential of fieldwork to promote conceptual understanding in geography with special reference to pupils in rural schools. Extensive literature on fieldwork in geographical education was analysed. Surveys of geography teachers and pupils in senior secondary schools were conducted to assess their attitudes towards geography and the use of learner-centred approaches with special reference to fieldwork. The role of fieldwork to promote conceptual understanding was evaluated by exposing two groups of pupils to different field activities. This revealed that fieldwork promotes understanding, stimulates interest and builds up confidence even when first introduced at senior secondary level.

The purpose of the study was to collect and collate information pertaining to common misconceptions of components of the concept of chemical equilibrium amongst a sample of Transkeian matriculants. 'Equilibrium' is a fundamental concept in physics and chemistry and 'chemical equilibrium' is an important chemistry topic in both the higher grade and standard grade South African matriculation physical science syllabuses. In recent years, South African teachers have identified chemical equilibrium as the most difficult section of the matric physical science syllabus for both teachers and pupils. It has been shown that teachers themselves lack understanding of the basic concepts underlying chemical equilibrium. Constructivist learning theories arise out of research in cognitive psychology. These theories conceive of cognitive development as the assimilation and accommodation of new ideas into extant, dynamic cognitive structures. An inference from the theories is that a study of the preconceptions and/or misconceptions held by pupils before they are exposed to instruction would enable teachers to avoid generating or reinforcing misconceptions. Hence teachers could also take deliberate steps to eradicate those already existing. The sample consisted of 112 Transkeian matriculants from four government senior secondary schools in the Southern Transkei. All were taking physical science. The test consisted of a 40 item multiple choice battery. Each question had three distracters and the options were randomized to avoid patterns and hence guessing. Questions dealing with closely associated concepts were grouped in the paper but no indication of this was given in the paper. The questions are analyzed singly. A brief introduction and outline of the theory on which the group of questions was based is given in each case. The analysis makes use of the frequency of choice of all options, discrimination indices, although they were generally low and item difficulties. The intent in each analysis is to identify the possible misconception(s) underlying wrong answers. Finally conclusions based on the discussion are drawn and recommendations for teaching and further research made.