Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-118). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-133). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (PhD(Didactic Pedagogics))--University of Pretoria, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2001. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 141-152). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-118). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 271-299). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-133). Also available on the Internet.

This research was undertaken to outline the problems that are encountered by teachers in predominantly historically disadvantaged schools in South Africa, with regards to implementing the Outcomes Based Education (OBE) policy. The study found that in attempting to cope with these problems, teachers exercise their discretion in trying to make the policy relevant to their environment in that they try to get relevant material from other advantaged schools. The study found that at the moment it is difficult to implement this new policy because teachers themselves are not clear about what Outcomes Based Education policy entails. Teachers are also not confident in implementing OBE because they feel they do not have adequate facilities or resources for students, nor is there sufficient information and training about OBE and the syllabuses available. To understand what actually happens in some historically disadvantaged schools with regard to policy implementation, I conducted research at four high schools in Pietermaritzburg. Information was elicited from teachers of grades 8 and 9 pupils. It became evident from my study that although Outcomes Based Education policy is In essence a good policy decision, the problem is that the time of implementation is not right. Historically disadvantaged schools will continue to battle with teaching OBE, even more so as it is planned to be extended to higher grades in the future. This study recommends that the government should improve training and education for teachers and provide relevant resources for implementing OBE. This would minimize the problems that lead to partial or non-implementation of the policy itself. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

Students' poor performance in the quantity surveying course at the Durban Institute of Technology appeared to be due to the lack of basic key competence in certain key areas such as mathematics and arithmetic. The students' weaknesses in key competencies were validated in the pre-tests with both the 2003 and 2004 cohorts where few students, only two out of sixteen and one out of eight respectively, displayed mastery in these key areas. Mastery learning was identified as a methodology to use for helping students because it benefited slow and fast learners alike. This study investigates the use of an e-mastery learning system to help students improve their competence in some of the key areas identified. An experiment was conducted, using the 2003 fourth-year quantity surveying students as a control group and the 2004 fourth-year quantity surveying students as the experimental group. The control group took a pre-test, were subjected to a face-to-face intervention and then they took a post-test. The experimental group took the same pre-test, were exposed to a mastery learning system, which was then followed by the same post-test. The results of this experiment showed that the mastery learning intervention helped the students, but not to the extent expected by the author. The experiment indicated that the e-based system was only marginally more helpful than the face-to-face intervention which the control group received. This quantitative aspect of the experiment was hampered by small sample sizes and was further constrained by difficulties in accessing the e-mastery system. Following this outcome, a qualitative study was undertaken, in the form of semi-structured interviews, to ascertain why the e-based system was not as successful as expected. Although the quantitative analysis indicated that the e-based system was more helpful, the interviews revealed the underlying problems were related to access to the e-based system and students' limited computer literacy skills. The conclusion drawn from these findings is that an e-based mastery learning system would help students improve their key competencies provided the computer literacy problems and access problems were solved, the mastery learning system was more comprehensively developed, and that the students were motivated enough to devote themselves to using the system on a regular basis. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

Since it assumed power in 1994, the democratic government in South Africa had to meet the challenge of changing a fragmented, inequitable and culturally oppressive system of education into one that would promote the principles of equity, redress and social empowerment. A mechanism to meet the aims of the new South African education system, Curriculum 2005 and its outcomes-based education approach, was introduced from the beginning of 1998. The new education system was subjected to changes that were designed to address the legacy of apartheid, and to meet the ch allenges presented by twenty first century global imperatives. Curriculum 2005, as a learner-centred educational framework, embraces a continuous assessment process that requires that educators be skilled to employ integrated assessment and teaching strategies to facilitate the holistic development oflearners . The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions and practices of grade nine language educators with regard to translating outcomes-based assessment into practice. A qualitative approach, using a case study method , was employed for the investigation and interviewing was the major data collection instrument. The interview data was supplemented by document analysis. The data were coded and analyzed. The main findings suggest that the grade nine language educators have a sound understanding of the outcomes-based system of assessment but the policy language and large class sizes were found to have limited educators' abilities to meaningfully use ongoing classroom assessment for formative purpose with individual learners. Finally, recommendations made concerning assessment practices, could lead to a more effective learner-centred learning environment. / Thesis (M.Ed. ; Education) - University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003