Further Education and Training (FET) colleges have the task of educating and training young people for entry into the workplace, for self-employment, for higher education studies and for up skilling and re-skilling competence levels (Nzimande 2009). This means that the FET curricula and their close link to the professional world make it a sector that contributes to most of the training of a sufficiently skilled workforce that would meet the labour market demands. Technical and vocational education and training is essential in this regard because no country can meet its economic and social demands without a skilled work/labour force. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to evaluate the National Education (NATED) Engineering curriculum at the Ezibeleni Engineering Campus to determine whether the curriculum is appropriate in preparing the students sufficiently for a career in engineering opportunities. Certain shortcomings in the NATED curricula are identified in this study and innovations are recommended with the aim of contributing to the establishment of a consistent engineering curriculum which will be able to meet the technological developments and inculcate the skills required in the world of work. With the inception of the new National Certificate (Vocational) (NC (V)) curriculum in 2007 and the phasing out of the NATED curriculum by the end of 2009, more areas for research are created in the FET college sector. Only the future will tell whether the new NC (V) curricula will be an improvement on the NATED curriculum. In an attempt to evaluate the Engineering curriculum and to determine the appropriateness thereof, the researcher employed qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. Valuable insights were derived from the literature study which served as a basis for the questions that were asked during the interviews and for the questions that were included in the questionnaire survey that were distributed among the academic staff. By mixing qualitative and quantitative methods the researcher aimed to triangulate the findings from the interviews and the questionnaire survey to enhance the validity and reliability of the study (Maree 2007:80). The findings of the interviews and survey were finally interpreted in terms of responses pertaining to the problem that was investigated. Despite the fact that the NATED curriculum is currently being phased out, critical shortcomings have been identified such as, interalia, the non-alignment of the engineering curriculum with the professional world, theory and practice that are not linked, inability to accommodate apprentices, and non-compliance with the SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority) requirements. The study concluded by recommending that FET College engineering programmes should be taken to a new level to make them acceptable to universities, universities of technology and to the industry in South Africa. FET colleges should begin to take the responsibility for arranging work placement for their students. The Department of education, FET colleges and industry should form collaborative partnerships to develop colleges as specialist or niche centres for vocational and technical excellence.

The overall aim of this study was to design an integrated and holistic programme for the academic support and development of non-traditional undergraduate medical students. The study was motivated by the need to increase the retention rate of these students. The conceptual framework of this study is based on the theories of Spady, Bean and Tinto. These theories were used to design a retention theory called âCircles of Progressionâ for non-traditional students in the South African context. As a framework, this theory has guided the empirical investigation and the outcome of this study. The study adopted a case study design to gain an in-depth understanding of the non-traditional undergraduate medical students in the medical school at the University of the Free State. A mixed methods approach was used to conduct the study. Data was collected by means of are a questionnaire and extensive engagement. These methods allowed triangulation and improved the reliability and validity of data and findings. From this study, it became clear that student retention is not due to an isolated factor, but it is a result of a whole range of interrelated factors and therefore there is no one single explanation and solution to student attrition. Based on the literature, generalisations about student retention can be misleading because each country, each institution and each student is unique. South Africa, for instance, cannot be compared to other countries because of its previous political history, its uneven schooling system and the different social backgrounds of the various population xixgroups. Moreover, issues related to retention in the different higher education institutions will not be precisely the same because of different educational systems that existed before political transformation started in 1994. Unfortunately, there is a tendency among both academics and non-academics to provide a single bold answer when asked why students do not perform well. One example of a common answer is that âstudents do not studyâ. This answer is often provided without even considering other interrelated factors. The question is âdo institutions understand the nature of the problem?â If institutions and the key stakeholders in these institutions could understand the nature of problems faced by non-traditional students, especially undergraduate medical students, they could collaborate, communicate and work together as a team to provide an integrated and holistic programme of action to support and develop these students and therefore, increase their retention rate. The programme of action as proposed in this study could start even before the students enter the university and continue up to their clinical years where they begin to specialise and become professionalised in the medical field.

Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation is an interpretive analysis of the meanings and understanding of the construct 'service' in its relation to scholarly engagement with external non-academic communities at curricular level. The study links to other studies relating to community engagement in higher education or focusing on internal service to the university community, but it is unique in its theorising of service with and in external non-academic communities. The specific aim of the study was to develop a theoretical framework to view, understand, analyse and evaluate scholarly-related service activities which represent the community component of experiential learning pedagogies. The primary data for the study were generated through unstructured interviews with the four actor groups participating in such activities, namely module coordinators, students, community organisation representatives and community members. Their responses were interpreted, analysed and triangulated through grounded theory methodology. A substantive theory consisting of four interrelated processes, through which these activities take place, was developed culminating in a theoretical framework that integrates the four processes into one coherent process of cyclical interchange of social commodities. In this process there is a reciprocation of scholarly service and community service where the latter represents the service of the community to the university culminating in the interchange of tangible and intangible products that represent the commodities. The co-creation of useful contextual knowledge represents the ultimate outcome of this process through an interchange of tacit, codified and implicit knowledge of professionals and laymen in society. The theoretical framework provides a better understanding of the difference between the relationships with external communities and the actual service actions that take place during scholarly service activities. Within such understanding the framework suggests rethinking of how service activities are planned and integrated in community engagement at curricular level. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif is 'n interpretatiewe ontleding van die betekenisse en begripsverband van die konstruk "diens" op 'n kurrikulêre vlak binne die vakkundige interaksie met eksterne nieakademiese gemeenskappe. Die studie hou verband met ander studies oor gemeenskapsinteraksie binne die hoër onderwys asook dié wat fokus op interne diens aan die universiteitsgemeenskap. Die studie is egter uniek ten opsigte van die teoretisering van diens binne en in samewerking met eksterne nie-akademiese gemeenskappe. Die spesifieke doel van die studie was om 'n teoretiese raamwerk te ontwikkel waardeur wetenskapsverwante diensaktiwiteite wat die gemeenskapskomponent van ervaringsleerpedagogië verteenwoordig beskou, verstaan, geanaliseer en geëvalueer kan word. Die primêre data vir die studie is versamel deur middel van ongestruktureerde onderhoude met die vier groepe wat 'n rol speel in kurrikulumverwante gemeenskapsdiensaktiwiteite, naamlik module koördineerders, studente, verteenwoordigers van gemeenskapsorganisasies en lede uit die gemeenskap. Hulle antwoorde is met behulp van die metodologie van gefundeerde teorie geïnterpreteer, ontleed en deur kruistoetsing geverifieer. 'n Selfstandige teorie, bestaande uit vier verwante prosesse waardeur hierdie aktiwiteite plaasvind, is ontwikkel wat uiteindelik beslag gekry het in 'n teoretiese raamwerk wat op sy beurt die vier prosesse in een koherente proses van sikliese verwisseling van sosiale kommoditeite integreer. In hierdie proses is daar ’n duidelike verwantskap tussen vakkundige diens en gemeenskapsdiens waar laasgenoemde die diens van die gemeenskap aan die universiteit verteenwoordig. Hierdie verwisselende verwantskap lei tot die uitruiling van tasbare en nie-tasbare produkte wat die sosiale kommoditeite verteenwoordig. Die medeskepping van bruikbare kontekstuele kennis verteenwoordig die uiteindelike uitkoms van die proses waarin basiese kennis, die geskrewe kennis en die inherente aangeleerde kennis van kundiges en ongeskoolde persone in wisselwerking tree. Die voorgestelde teoretiese raamwerk verskaf beter insig in die verskil tussen die verhouding met eksterne gemeenskappe en die werklike diensaksies wat plaasvind gedurende vak-gebaseerde diensaktiwiteite. Binne sodanige verstaan stel die raamwerk voor dat die manier wat sulke aktiwiteite beplan word, herbedink behoort te word.

Thesis (MPhil (Centre for Higher Education))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Learning in young adulthood, especially in communities where there may be substantial barriers to learning and exclusion from formal education, needs further investigation. This study provides an in-depth investigation of six youths’ predispositions to learning while awaiting trial in a place of safety. This study focused on an in-depth investigation of youths’ predispositions to learning in the particular context of the place of safety (Western Cape, South Africa). I have been working with awaiting trial male youths for over four years as principal at the place of safety. The place of safety is a residential facility for boys and youths between the ages of 10 and 16 years who broke the law and who were at risk. The court placed these youths at the place of safety for the duration of their pending court cases, which may take up to two years in extreme cases like rape and murder. They typically come from communities where they had been exposes to violence, substance abuse and crime, both at home and at school. All of the youths at the place of safety broke the law and were awaiting trial; and they had all dropped out of school or had never attended school. The six respondents used in my study either were abusing drugs themselves or witnessed drug abuse. During their stay al the place of safety, the learners undergo various therapeutic programmes. They also attend school, where the curriculum is adapted to the individual needs of the learners. While working with these youths at the school, I became deeply concerned about the limited prospects they seemed to have. I was curious why most of them demonstrated little or no ambition or eagerness to learn, given that they all had literacy levels below the average for their age group and that most of them had dropped out of school or had never attended school. Popular media reports as well as official documents indicate that youths in South Africa – and the Western Cape in particular – are exposed to drug abuse, violence and crime, which may influence the escalating number of school dropouts. An understanding of the predispositions to learning among awaiting trial youths may contribute to a better understanding of the sense of disempowerment within these communities. This research project focused on qualitative case studies where I tried to discover and understand youths’ predispositions to learning. I followed an interpretive approach to provide insights into the life stories of the six respondents between the ages of 14 and 16 years and how they interpret and make meaning of their personal realities. This marginalised group of people had the opportunity to narrate their individual life stories with relation to their experienced learning processes. I conducted this study, collected, and interpreted data over a period of approximately two-and-a-half v years. I collected data from their official files and by conducting in-depth individual interviews. I video-recorded the six personal interviews and used the footage to assist me in the process of data analysis. The thesis presents the life stories of the six respondents as a foundation for a discussion on how we as educators define and practice adult education in the context of marginalised youth. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die leerprosesse van jeugdiges in gemeenskappe waar akute leerstoornisse en gebreke ten opsigte van formele onderrig heers, behoort nagevors en ondersoek te word. Hierdie studie het gepoog om ondersoek in te stel na die ontvanklikheid of predisposisie van ses jeugdiges teenoor leer terwyl hulle verhoorafwagtend is en in plek van veiligheid aangehou word. Die studie het op grondige ondersoek na die ontvanklikheid of predisposisies vir leer by jeugdiges teen die agtergrond van die plek van veiligheid (Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika) gefokus. Ek werk reeds langer as vier jaar by die plek van veiligheid as skoolhoof. Seuns en jeugdiges van 10 tot 16 jaar oud wat die wet oortree het en sorg nodig het, gaan daar tuis nadat die hof hulle daar geplaas het vir die duur van hulle hofsake. In sommige ernstige sake, soos moord en verkragting, kan dit selfs twee jaar neem vir die sake om afgehandel te word. Hulle kom gewoonlik van gemeenskappe waar hulle tuis en by die skool blootgestel was aan geweld, dwelmmisbruik en misdaad. Die ses respondente in my studie het self dwelms misbruik of was blootgestel aan dwelmmisbruik. Alle leerders by die plek van veiligheid het die wet oortree en is verhoorafwagtend. Hulle het die skool op voortydige ouderdom verlaat of het nooit voorheen skoolgegaan nie. Terwyl hulle by die plek van veiligheid bly, ondergaan hulle verskillende terapeutiese programme. Hulle woon ook skool by. Die leerplan is aangepas na aanleiding van die individuele behoeftes van die leerders. Terwyl ek met hierdie seuns en jeugdiges by die skool gewerk het, het ek besorg geraak oor die beperkte verwagtinge wat hulle klaarblyklik gehad het. Ek het gewonder waarom die meeste van hulle min of geen ambisie toon en klaarblyklik min of geen gretigheid het om te leer nie, veral as in ag geneem word dat hulle vlakke van geletterdheid benede die gemiddelde vlakke van hul ouderdomgroepe is en dat die meeste van hulle die skool voortydig verlaat het of selfs nooit skool bygewoon het nie. Algemene beriggewing en amptelike dokumente dui aan dat jeugdiges in Suid- Afrika – en veral in die Wes-Kaap – toenemend aan dwelmmisbruik, geweld en misdaad blootgestel word. Dit kan invloed hê op die groeiende aantal skoolverlaters. Beter begrip van verhoorafwagtende jeugdiges se ontvanklikheid of predisposisies vir leer kan lei tot beter begrip van die graad van ontmagtiging wat in hierdie gemeenskappe ervaar word. Hierdie navorsingstudie het op kwalitatiewe gevallestudies gefokus waartydens ek gepoog het om jeugdiges se ontvanklikheid of predisposisies vir leer te ondersoek en te verstaan. Vertolkende of interpretatiewe benadering is gevolg om insigte te bekom ten opsigte van die lewensverhale van vii die ses respondente en die wyse waarop hulle hul persoonlike werklikhede interpreteer en verstaan. Hierdie gemarginaliseerde groep mense het die geleentheid gekry om hul persoonlike lewensverhale met betrekking tot hul beleefde leerervaringe te verbaliseer. Ek het hierdie studie oor tydperk van ongeveer twee-en-‘n-halwe jaar uitgevoer, met in agneming van dataversameling en –verwerking. Ek het data versamel deur middel van inligting in amptelike dokumente, asook deur die voer van persoonlike onderhoude. Die indringende onderhoude wat ek met ses respondente gevoer het, is op video vasgelê. Ek het hierdie data gebruik in die proses van dataverwerking. Die tesis bied blik op die lewensverhale van die ses respondente. Dit kan dien as grondslag vir diskoers oor hoe die beoefening van volwasse onderrig en leer teen die agtergrond van gemarginaliseerde jeugdiges gedefinieer en toegepas word.