To fight climate change, people need to change their behaviours towards emitting fewer greenhouse gases and build a system that is resilient towards the future shocks that climate change will create. Education can be seen as a key factor in behaviour change. Climate change education, in particular, provides people with the knowledge they need to transition towards a more sustainable state. Education does not only involve giving people information on natural and social systems, though: Since climate change can potentially threaten life on earth, it evokes strong emotional responses, such as depression and helplessness. When students feel that they cannot do anything about climate change, when they feel hopeless and pessimistic, they are less likely to engage in pro-environmental behaviour. Even if they have adequate knowledge of what to do. This constitutes the gap between cognitive and emotional learning where I enter with my study. With an online survey addressed to German grammar school pupils and university students (N = 438), I examine how the design of content on climate change can influence the perception of content. I used techniques of presenting content from Constructive Journalism to write five short texts on climate change for half of the participants. The other half represented a control group that read texts using the opposite of these constructive techniques of presenting. The participants answered questions regarding the two dimensions of learning: cognitive, and emotional. Within the emotional dimension, I asked students about their feelings of engagement, hope, depression, self-efficacy, and collective efficacy toward climate change. Constructive techniques of presenting content influence mainly the emotional dimension of learning, not the cognitive dimension and not the feeling of cognitive engagement either. The study showed, however, that if students understand the challenges of climate change well, they showed to be more prone toward feelings of depression. Teachers can engage with these negative feelings by including such framings as solutions-orientation, community-orientation, or long-term trends. While keeping cognitive learning and engagement at the same level, teachers can increase the positive emotions students have towards the content by designing it constructively. This study provides a way to encourage behavioural change in young people that is easier than transforming the entire global educational system. The insights can also be used for the broader public. Empowering people through information can inspire them to take action for mitigation and adaptation.

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Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Accounting Degree: Management Accounting, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / Empirical evidence highlighted the problem of underprepared graduates who lack critical thinking skills required in the work environment. Institutions of higher learning have been mandated to provide graduates with these critical thinking skills. However, in order to achieve this mandate, teaching, and, in particular, assessment practices at institutions of higher learning would need to be rethought and transformed. Integrated assessments that mirror real life situations are particularly useful in the development of critical thinking skills. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the integrated assessment conducted with the first-year ECP students in the Department of Management Accounting at the Durban University of Technology has enhanced the critical thinking skills of these students. This descriptive and inferential study employed a quantitative strategy, with a quasi-experimental, pre-test, post-test, non-equivalent group design and it was longitudinal in nature. The target population consisted of two groups: all the first-year students registered on the Extended Curriculum Programme in the Department of Management Accounting in 2014, which was approximately 40 students (experimental group); and all the first-year students registered on the Extended Curriculum Programme in the Department of Financial Accounting in 2014, which was approximately 40 students (control group). All five categories of the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal UK edition were administered to both the control and experimental groups in a pre-test and post-test measure. However, only the experimental group was exposed to the integrated assessment. The aim was to measure the change, if any, in the students’ critical thinking skills over a period of time. The findings revealed a statistical significance in the overall post-test scores in favour of the experimental group. The norm group comparisons also revealed that, after the completion of the integrated assessment, the experimental group’s post-test mean scores were higher than the US grade 12 students and were closely matched to the US first year of 4 year colleges. In addition, the experimental group’s pre-and post-test mean scores were closely matched to the SA norm group. These results suggested that the experimental group experienced gains in their critical thinking ability in the post-integrated assessment. It is, therefore, recommended that integrated assessments, which are based on real world problems, should be conducted in the first year and in subsequent years. It is not always possible for universities of technology to offer cooperative education/ in-service training to all students. Contextualized integrated assessments, therefore, bridge this gap by allowing students to experience workplace requirements without physically being in the work environment.

Thesis (MPhil (Modern Foreign Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Suggestopedia, as an innovative method of teaching, inter alia, second and foreign languages, has reportedly achieved exceptional results. With the development of this multimedia program it was decided to base the program on suggestopedic principles. In this thesis, I discussed the theory of adult second language acquisition, cognitive learning theory, constructivist learning theory and the consequences these theories have on language teaching. The overview of literature incorporates a description and analysis of Suggestopedia and looks at Suggestopedia from the following perspectives: • a description of suggestion • a description of suggestology • the basic premises of Suggestopedia • the purpose of Suggestopedia • the principles of Suggestopedia • the suggestopedic cycle • the suggestopedic text • the classroom module • the computer program. The multimedia computer program was developed to enhance the classroom module of the first year students of German at the university. In this thesis, I describe the interface and design of this program in terms of colour, incorporating colour theory, the name of the program, the overall design and the structure of each scene.

Thesis (MPhil (Modern Foreign Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / With continuing advances in technology, computer-assisted instruction provides opportunities for individualized, interactive learning. In the research paper, I employed the theoretical framework of CALL and the philosophy of cognitive psychhology to promote learner autonomy in the second language aquisition of Chinese...

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Technological literacy is a competency that is widely espoused both locally and internationally (UNESCO, 1984; TAAP, 1991). Technological literacy has been described as a multi-dimensional construct consisting of a knowledge, skills and an affective component. This study investigated learner performance in the cognitive domain. Intact classes of Foundation (Grade 3), Intermediate (Grade 6) and Senior phase (Grade 9) learners from 12 Western Cape schools participated in a standardised paper-and-pencil assessment, the Pupil's Understanding of Technology (PUT) test. The study attempted to measure the effect of two variables - geographic location and gender, on learner knowledge and understanding of technology. The main substantive findings to emerge are firstly that geographic location is significantly related to performance in specific content areas of technology. Secondly, gender appears to be less significant in determining learner knowledge of technology on most questions. Furthermore, the level of knowledge of technology appears to correspond with phase or developmental level, thus supporting the conception of technological knowledge as a subset of general achievement. In addition, this study describes various methodological limitations pertaining to the PUT format and content. The main methodological limitations to an assessment of learner knowledge and understanding of technology using the PUT instrument relates to the nature of technological knowledge, and the understanding that technological literacy is a complex, multi-dimensional and activity-based subject. The study further highlights the need for an interrogation of the monolithic categories of 'geographic location' and 'socio-economic' category. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Tegnologiese geletterdheid is 'n vaardigheid wat beide nasionaal en internasionaal voorgestaan word (UNESCO, 1984; TAAP, 1991). Tegnologiese geletterheid is al beskryf as 'n multi-dimensionele konstruk wat bestaan uit 'n kennis, vaardigheid en emosionele komponent. Die studie ondersoek die leerder se prestasie in die kognitiewe gebied. Volledige groepe van Grondslag (Graad 3), Intermediêre (Graad 6) en Senior fase (Graad 9) leerders van 12 skole in die Wes-Kaap het deelgeneem aan 'n gestandardiseerde pen-en-papier evaluering, die Leerling se Begrip van Tegnologie (Pupil's Understanding of Technology - PUT) toets. Die studie poog om die eftek van twee veranderlikes, geografiese ligging en geslag, op die leerder se kennis en begrip van tegnologie te meet. Die belangrikste substantiewe bevindinge is eerstens dat geografiese ligging beduidend korreleer met prestasie in spesifieke inhoudelike areas van tegnologie. Tweedens blyk dit dat geslag 'n minder belangrike invloed toon in die bepaling van die leerder se kennis van tegnologie in die meeste vrae. Verder blyk dit dat die vlak van kennis van tegnologie ooreenstem met die fase of ontwikkelingsvlak. Dit ondersteun die konsepsie van tegnologiese kennis as 'n onderafdeling van algemene prestasie. Hierdie studie beskryf ook verder die verskeie metodologiese beperkinge wat betrekking het op die PUT uitleg en inhoud. Die belangrikste metodologiese beperkinge vir die evaluering van leerderkennis en begrip van tegnologie met die PUT verwys na die aard van tegnologiese kennis, en die opvatting dat tegnologiese geletterdheid 'n komplekse, multi-dimensionele en aktiwiteitsgebaseerde onderwerp is. Dit blyk ook verder uit die studie dat daar 'n behoefte is aan 'n ondersoek na die monolitiese kategorieë van 'geografiese ligging' en 'sosio-ekonomiese' afdeling.

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The globalisation of business is probably the most important topic of discussion in business around the world. Globalisation impacts on business processes, and changes in the processes of economic and political liberalisation signify a radical shift in thinking about how the world works and how it should be organised. The process of change consequently means having to deal with increasing complexity. It is the complexity of change that prompts the urgency to improve the thinking of management in an organisation. As adult learners, managers need different competencies to operate; in addition their thinking skills need to be developed, as they are the key drivers in an organisation going through transformation. In a needs' assessment in a financial services organisation operating in the global environment, a need for training of middle managers to help them improve their thinking skills in order to become more effective thinkers was determined. The need to train adults to develop cognitive skills prompted a specific thinking skills intervention and the facilitation thereof. A Thinking Skills Programme aimed at teaching thinking dispositions and thinking skills was implemented as a programme to teach the managers to become effective thinkers. The study was approached from a programme evaluative perspective. The purpose of the programme was an improvement-orientated evaluation and was designed to evaluate the outcomes of the programme. Qualitative data was collected through a pre- assessment and postassessment process. Open-ended questionnaires as well as other qualitative methods were used in the assessment to capture the data. The data analysis was done through content analysis. In the process of determining the patterns and processes in the preassessment, observations, semi-structured interviews, field notes and post-assessment, the researcher looked for themes or interconnections that emerged in the units, sub-categories and categories. The sub-categories that emerged were derived from the frequency of appearance in the answers of the participants in the questionnaires. The post-assessment feedback categories indicated that a shift in effective thinking had taken place in the participants. The most significant difference in their thinking was the awareness of their thinking. They reflected on their thinking while solving problems, which is evidence of effective thinking. They used the thinking tools to help them solve problems. The intervention influenced the participants to be more creative in solving problems, which was not evident in the pre-assessment. The evaluation of the outcome of the programme through the application of a Thinking Skills Programme was successful. This was demonstrated by the fact that in the measurement of the outcome of the programme it was evident that the middle managers had become more aware of their thinking and that they applied the thinking dispositions and thinking tools in their daily managerial activities. They had become more effective thinkers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die globalisering van die sakewêreld is waarskynlik die belangrikste besprekingspunt in dié sektor regoor die wêreld. Globalisering het 'n impak op sakeprosesse, en veranderings in die prosesse van ekonomiese en politieke liberalisering dui op 'n radikale verandering in denke oor hoe die wêreld werk en hoe dit georganiseer behoort te word. Die proses van verandering dui gevolglik daarop dat daar rekening gehou moet word met toenemende kompleksiteit. Dit is die kompleksiteit van verandering wat aanleiding gee tot die belangrikheid daarvan om die denkvaardighede van die bestuur in 'n organisasie te verbeter. As volwasse leerders benodig bestuurders verskillende vaardighede om hulle taak te verrig, en hulle denkvaardighede moet ontwikkel word aangesien hulle die dryfkrag is van 'n organisasie wat transformasie ondergaan. In 'n behoeftebepaling in 'n finansiële dienste organisasie wat op die wêreldmark meeding, is die behoefte geïdentifiseer aan opleiding vir middelvlak bestuurders om hulle denkvaardighede te help verbeter, ten einde van hulle meer effektiewe denkers te maak. Die behoefte om volwassenes op te lei in die ontwikkeling van kognitiewe vaardighede het aanleiding gegee tot In spesifieke denkvaardigheidsintervensie en die fasilitering daarvan. 'n Denkvaardigheidsprogram gemik op die onderrig van denkdisposisies en -vaardighede is as 'n program ingestelom bestuurders op te lei om effektiewe denkers te word. Die studie is benader vanuit 'n programevaluasie-perspektief. Die doel van die program was 'n verbeteringsgeoriënteerde evaluasie en dit is ontwerp om die uitkomstes van die program te evalueer. Kwalitatiewe data is versamel deur middel van 'n pre- en postassesseringsproses. Oopeindevraelyste asook ander kwalitatiewe metodes is in die assessering gebruik om data te versamel. Die data-analise is gedoen deur inhoudsanalise. Vir die bepaling van die patrone en prosesse in die pre-assessering, is observasies, semigestruktureerde onderhoude en veldaantekeninge gebruik. Vir die postassessering het die navorser gesoek na temas of interkonneksies wat na vore gekom het in die eenhede, subkategorieë en kategorieë. Die subkategorieë wat na vore gekom het, is geïdentifiseer op grond van die frekwensie van voorkoms in die antwoorde van die deelnemers wat die vraelyste voltooi het. Die terugvoeringskategorieë in die postassessering het aangetoon dat 'n verandering in effektiewe denke by die deelnemers plaasgevind het. Die mees beduidende verandering in hulle denke was die bewustheid van hulle denke. Deelnemers het gereflekteer op hulle denke tydens probleemoplossing, wat as bewys dien van effektiewe denke. Hulle het die denkinstrumente gebruik om hulle te help om probleme op te los. Die intervensie het tot gevolg gehad dat die deelnemers meer kreatief tydens probleemoplossing was, wat nie tydens die pre-assessering geblyk het nie. Die evaluering van die uitkoms van die program deur die toepassing van 'n Denkvaardigheidsprogram was suksesvol. Dit is gedemonstreer deur die feit dat in die meting van die uitkoms van die program dit duidelik geblyk het dat die middelvlak bestuurders meer bewus geraak het van hulle denke en dat hulle die denkdisposisies en denkinstrumente in hulle daaglikse bestuursaktiwiteite toegepas het. Hulle het meer effektiewe denkers geword.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The increasing number of isiXhosa learners in Afrikaans medium schools gave rise to this investigation. According to our Constitution, all citizens have the right to receive education in one of the official languages. Some isiXhosa parents exercise their democratic right by enrolling their children in English- or Afrikaans-medium schools. They are of the opinion that the level of education is of a higher standard in these schools. Consequently, some isiXhosa learners in Afrikaans-medium schools develop barriers to learning due to the fact that they have little or no knowledge of Afrikaans. The purpose of this study was to develop a literacy intervention programme to improve the vocabulary and reading comprehension of isiXhosa mother tongue speakers in grade 4 to 6 Afrikaans-medium classes. Secondly, the aim of the study was to determine whether the literacy intervention programme would lead to the improvement of the Afrikaans vocabulary and reading comprehension of isiXhosa learners in grade 4 to 6 Afrikaans-medium classes. The research was conducted in a previously disenfranchised Afrikaans-medium school in Stellenbosch. The research methods employed comprised a literature review supported by an empirical investigation that included pre- and post-tests with learners, interviews with educators and the development and implementation of a literacy intervention programme. A mixed method research design was used, because quantitative data alone would have supplied inadequate answers to the research question. The theoretical basis of the study was Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, as well as Vygotsky’s social constructivist language acquisition theory. Both Piaget and Vygotsky emphasised the importance of social interactions in cognitive development. They regarded the development and use of vocabulary as an integral part of these interactions. Research indicates that the field of second language acquisition is multifaceted and is not supported by a singular theory. Three theories of second language acquisition were explored in this study. They are the communicative approach, shared reading and the schema theory. The role that the language-in-education policy, motivation and social economic status play in second language acquisition was also investigated. Another goal of the literature review was to collect data to develop a literacy intervention programme in which the above-mentioned theories of second language acquisition were utilised. The marsh at the school served as the context for the activities in the programme. Twenty isiXhosa mother tongue speakers in grade 4 to 6 Afrikaans-medium classes were subjected to an intervention programme over a period of six months to determine the success of the intervention programme. Data gathering included quantitative data (pre- and post-tests) as well as qualitative data (interviews with Afrikaans educators) to determine whether the learners’ vocabulary and reading comprehension had improved. The results of the study indicate that the implementation of the literacy intervention programme can lead to the improvement of the Afrikaans vocabulary and reading comprehension of isiXhosa mother tongue speakers in grade 4 tot 6 Afrikaans-medium classes. This is substantiated by previous research. The results also support findings that the Afrikaans vocabulary and reading comprehension of isiXhosa learners in the Afrikaans-medium intervention school can improve if the appropriate intervention is offered timeously. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie ondersoek is onderneem weens die toenemende getal Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers in Afrikaansmediumskole. Volgens die Grondwet het elkeen die reg om onderrig in enige van die amptelike tale te ontvang. Sommige Xhosasprekende ouers oefen hierdie reg uit deur hulle kinders in Afrikaansmediumskole te plaas. Hulle is van mening dat onderrig van 'n hoёr gehalte daar plaasvind. Gevolglik is daar 'n toename van leerders wat struikelblokke tot leer ondervind, omdat hulle min of geen begrip van Afrikaans het nie. Eerstens, is die fokus van hierdie studie die ontwikkeling van 'n geletterdheidsintervensieprogram om die Afrikaanse woordeskat en leesbegrip van graad 4 tot 6 Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers in 'n Afrikaansmediumskool te bevorder. Ten tweede is dit om te bepaal of die geletterdheidsintervensieprogram 'n verbetering in die woordeskat en leesbegrip van graad 4 tot 6 Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers tot gevolg gehad het. 'n Voorheen benadeelde Afrikaansmediumskool in die Stellenbosch-omgewing is deur die navorser gekies vir die implementering van die geletterdheidsintervensieprogram. Hierdie projek het 'n literatuurstudie ondersteun deur 'n empiriese ondersoek wat voor- en natoetse met leerders, onderhoude met onderwysers en die ontwerp en toepassing van 'n geletterdheidsintervensieprogram ingesluit het, behels. Daar is van 'n gemengde navorsingsontwerp gebruik gemaak, omdat die gebruik van slegs kwantitatiewe data onvoldoende antwoorde op die navorsingsvraag sou verskaf. 'n Literatuurondersoek is gedoen om 'n teoretiese grondslag vir die studie te verkry. Piaget se teorie van kognitiewe ontwikkeling en Vygotsky se sosiaal-konstruktivistiese taalverwerwingsteorie is gebruik om die verwerwing van 'n tweede taal te beskryf. Beide Piaget en Vygotsky het die belangrikheid van sosiale interaksies in kognitiewe ontwikkeling beklemtoon. Hulle het die ontwikkeling en gebruik van woordeskat as 'n integrale deel van hierdie interaksies beskou. Die studie dui daarop dat die aard van tweedetaalverwerwing kompleks is en nie deur 'n enkele teorie ondersteun kan word nie. Drie verskillende benaderings tot tweedetaalverwerwing, naamlik die kommunikatiewe benadering, gedeelde lees en die skema-teorie, is ondersoek. Die rol wat die taal-in-onderwysbeleid (TiOB), motivering en sosio-ekonomiese status in tweedetaalverwerwing speel, is ook ondersoek. 'n Verdere doel van die literatuurondersoek was om inligting te versamel om 'n geletterdheidsintervensieprogram te ontwerp waarin bogenoemde benaderings tot tweedetaalverwerwing gebruik is. Die vleiland by die skool het die konteks geskep waarbinne die onderskeie aktiwiteite beplan is. Die geletterdheids-intervensieprogram is vir ses maande in 'n klas met 20 graad 4 tot 6 Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers toegepas om die sukses daarvan te bepaal. Datagenerering het bestaan uit kwantitatiewe data (voor- en natoetse) asook kwalitatiewe data (onderhoude met die opvoeders wat Afrikaans onderrig) om vas te stel of die leerders se woordeskat en leesbegrip verbeter het al dan nie. Die resultate van hierdie studie toon dat die toepassing van die geletterdheidsintervensieprogram tot die verbetering van die Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers in graad 4 tot 6 Afrikaansmediumklasse se Afrikaanse woordeskat en leesbegrip kan lei. Dit stem ooreen met bevindinge van vorige navorsing, naamlik dat die verbetering van leerders se woordeskat tot die verbetering van leesbegrip lei. Verder ondersteun die resultate die bevindinge dat Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers in die Afrikaansmedium intervensieskool se Afrikaanse woordeskat en leesbegrip kan verbeter, mits hulle die nodige, gepaste ondersteuning betyds ontvang.