Insufficiency in literacy is seen as a worldwide problem. The scope of the problem is confirmed by the fact that the United Nations declared the years 2003–2012 as International Literacy Decade. Literacy is seen as a necessary skill – the cornerstone of human capital development – and a fundamental competency on which the mastering of all other skills depends. Fundamental skills such as reading, writing and numeric skills and technological literacy influence the economic prosperity of any country in different ways. The language and numeric skills of learners are declining, and employers are of the opinion that candidates applying for work do not have sufficient basic skills for available jobs. The above has led to the decision to focus in this study on the development of a teaching framework for the improvement of job access skills for Grade 10 Computer Applications Technology (CAT) learners. The concepts of “literacy” and “job access” are discussed in the literature review. Job access skills are anchored in literacy. An analysis of the Grade 10 CAT learning programme and work schedule was done to determine to which degree literacy skills are addressed in the assessment standards. A framework and an accompanying workbook were developed in this study to address the gaps that were identified during the analysis of the Grade 10 teaching and learning programme and work schedule. Various requirements and determinants for the development of a teaching framework were studied. These requirements and determinants were considered for the development of the suggested teaching framework. A workbook containing literacy tasks was used to improve literacy skills of learners and was used as the instrument for the implementation of the teaching framework. The empirical study being reported here was aimed at determining to which degree the use of the workbook that had been developed as the instrument for the integration of the teaching framework, contributed to the improvement of the learners’ literacy skills. During the qualitative study, it was revealed that the teachers at the schools participating in this study were very positive about the workbook, and also that they were of the opinion that it could contribute to the improvement of the literacy skills of the learners. A practical significant influence with a large effect regarding general literacy and a small effect on general numeracy were reported. The analysis of the quantitative data showed that completion of the learning tasks in the workbook does indeed have an influence on improving the literacy level of the learners, and it is thus recommended that literacy skills be integrated into the existing CAT learning programme. / PhD (Teaching and Learning), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Insufficiency in literacy is seen as a worldwide problem. The scope of the problem is confirmed by the fact that the United Nations declared the years 2003–2012 as International Literacy Decade. Literacy is seen as a necessary skill – the cornerstone of human capital development – and a fundamental competency on which the mastering of all other skills depends. Fundamental skills such as reading, writing and numeric skills and technological literacy influence the economic prosperity of any country in different ways. The language and numeric skills of learners are declining, and employers are of the opinion that candidates applying for work do not have sufficient basic skills for available jobs. The above has led to the decision to focus in this study on the development of a teaching framework for the improvement of job access skills for Grade 10 Computer Applications Technology (CAT) learners. The concepts of “literacy” and “job access” are discussed in the literature review. Job access skills are anchored in literacy. An analysis of the Grade 10 CAT learning programme and work schedule was done to determine to which degree literacy skills are addressed in the assessment standards. A framework and an accompanying workbook were developed in this study to address the gaps that were identified during the analysis of the Grade 10 teaching and learning programme and work schedule. Various requirements and determinants for the development of a teaching framework were studied. These requirements and determinants were considered for the development of the suggested teaching framework. A workbook containing literacy tasks was used to improve literacy skills of learners and was used as the instrument for the implementation of the teaching framework. The empirical study being reported here was aimed at determining to which degree the use of the workbook that had been developed as the instrument for the integration of the teaching framework, contributed to the improvement of the learners’ literacy skills. During the qualitative study, it was revealed that the teachers at the schools participating in this study were very positive about the workbook, and also that they were of the opinion that it could contribute to the improvement of the literacy skills of the learners. A practical significant influence with a large effect regarding general literacy and a small effect on general numeracy were reported. The analysis of the quantitative data showed that completion of the learning tasks in the workbook does indeed have an influence on improving the literacy level of the learners, and it is thus recommended that literacy skills be integrated into the existing CAT learning programme. / PhD (Teaching and Learning), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Die tesis is voorgelê ter verwerwing van die graad: Magister in Opvoedkunde aan die: Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012. Afrikaanse abstrak: Hierdie navorsing het die gebruik van probleemoplossings-onderrigtegnieke deur onderwysers in die Rekenaartoepassingstegnologie (RTT) –klaskamer ondersoek. Kriteria ten opsigte van probleemoplossingsvaardighede soos uiteengesit in die Nasionale Kurrikulumverklaring (NKV ) en die Nasionale Kurrikulum- en Assesserings- Beleidsverklaring (NKABV) vir RTT was toegepas in hierdie studie. RTT word slegs vanaf graad 10 in die verdere onderwys- en opleidingfase (VOO) as „n keusevak aangebied. Dus was die navorser se fokus op die omliggende sekondêre skole wat RTT aanbied. Die navorsing konsentreer op die onderwyser en sy toepassing van probleemoplossings-onderrigtegnieke. Die navorser het gebruik gemaak van gevallestudie as navorsingsontwerp en konstruktivisme as raamwerk toegepas. Klaskamer-observasies, onderhoude en beide formele en onderwyser - geskepte dokumente het gedien as bronne vir data. Die data was tematies ontleed om die betekenis daarvan te ontgin. Die analise van die data dui aan dat respondente nie aan die vereistes gestel deur die NKABV en NKV, ten opsigte van die aanbieding en assessering van probleemoplossings-onderrigtegnieke, voldoen nie. Die navorser beveel aan dat „n moontlike oplossing vir die onderwyser-respondente se gebrek aan kennis en onderrigvaardighede met betrekking tot probleemoplossings-onderrigtegnieke kan wees dat daar spesifieke kursusse oor hierdie onderwerp aangebied word. Die navorsing skep ook ʼn geleentheid vir tersiêre instellings om hulle kurrikula en opleidingsprogramme sodanig aan te pas ten einde die leemtes, soos uitgewys deur die navorsing, aan te spreek. / This research explored the utilization of problem solving techniques by Computer Applications Technology (CAT) teachers in grade 11. The requirements and criteria as set out in the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) and the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), were applied in this study. CAT is only introduced in grade 10 in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase. The researcher thus focussed on the surrounding schools that offer CAT as a subject. The research focussed on the teacher and the teaching of problem solving techniques in CAT. The researcher used a case study design and employed a constructivism as the theoretical framework. Classroom observations, interviews and both teacher generated and formal documents served as data sources. A thematic analysis approach was adopted to make sense of the data. The analysis of the different data sources indicated that the respondents did not fully comply with the requirements set by the NCS and CAPA with reference to the teaching of problem solving techniques in CAT. The researcher recommends that courses are presented to address the gaps in the knowledge and skills of teachers in CAT referring to problem solving techniques. This creates both the opportunity and challenge to tertiary institutions to align their curricula and training programmes to address the gaps identified by this research.

Despite the increasing importance of digitization in all facets of teaching and learning, digital moderation (eModeration) has received little attention in research and practice. No evidence-based requirements on the secondary school environment could be found for the development of a digital moderation system. This finding provided the rationale for an investigation into the requirements for an efficient eModeration system for IT and CAT assessments at grade 12 level in South Africa. A critical literature review was employed to explore eModeration and the requirements for a digital moderation system. This study is novel in exploring the applicability of post-adoption technology acceptance models to a pre-adoption system. The inquiry was guided by the overarching research question of: What are the requirements for an efficient eModeration system for IT and CAT SBA assessments at grade 12 level in SA? This dissertation concludes that there is currently no dedicated eModeration system in use in the secondary school environment. This study draws on the eModeration literature, the technology adoption literature and empirical research in the private secondary school environment of IT and CAT assessments at grade 12 level in South Africa to provide an evidence-based contribution to the requirements for an efficient eModeration system. The findings serve as a theoretical basis for future research into eModeration systems and can make a practical contribution to future practices and policies within schools and assessment bodies. / School of Computing / M. Sc. (Computing)