This study centres on the psychological effects new digital media, like the internet and cellphones, have on adolescents. Although the internet has enormous benefits, it also poses a host of risks that can make adolescents vulnerable to victimisation and/or developing associated psychosocial problems. Characterisations of adolescents’ social relationships in the internet medium, as well as the investigation of the continuity between digital media literacy and online social behaviours, carry high relevance for developmental psychology. It is during the adolescent period that peer interactions arguably hold the greatest importance for individuals’ social and behavioural functioning. Using a logic model for evaluation, the researcher conducted an exploratory research study on digital media use among adolescent learners aged 13 to 15 years to determine whether schools could guide them to think critically for themselves about the entire realm of these new media. The data were gathered from school principals, teachers, parents and learners from three secondary schools in Gauteng Province, which were purposely selected to represent different socio-economic circumstances. A total of 230 people (n=230) participated in the research. Mixed research methods were employed in this study. The quantitative research methods supported the qualitative research methods. The literature review suggested that current media literacy education, which forms part of the Life Orientation curriculum, does not enable learners to think critically or make informed choices about their behaviour in the digital world – because it incorporates neither ethics nor responsibility. One of the main aims of the study therefore was to investigate the importance of expanding existing media literacy education, namely by incorporating two additional learning categories in the curriculum: Digital Safety and Security, and Digital Citizenship. These additional learning categories were introduced in the form of lessons by the teachers participating in the study. A think aloud strategy was used whereby learners verbalise what they were doing and learning while engaging in the digital media literacy lesson activities. The learners’ verbalisations were used to ascertain what learning was occurring in the classroom. The experimental group demonstrated an increase in critical thinking from pre- to post-evaluation. This research therefore proposes that the signature element of intervention strategies for inappropriate online behaviour be to create a “culture of critical thinking”. This implies greatly reducing the risks cyberspace pose, and at the same time enhancing adolescents’ abilities to use it in ways that create and deepen healthy relationships – in the digital as well as the real world. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The aim of this study was to investigate the causes of learner dropout in secondary schools around Johannesburg South, Gauteng Province. Twenty-seven participants from three secondary schools in Orange Farm area were purposively sampled for the study. A qualitative design was used. In-depth interviews were conducted to collect data to allow the researcher a platform to ask open-response questions and to explore the participants’ perspectives about the causes of learner dropout. The data was analysed thematically by carefully identifying and describing significant themes that emerged from educators, learners, parents, SGB chairpersons and principal’s responses to interview questions. The study revealed that teenage pregnancy, lack of parental involvement, substance abuse and peer pressure, among others, were the causes of learner dropout. The study recommends that schools put more efforts on abstinence programs, sex education and the use of contraceptives such as condoms, pills and injectables; training of educators on the management of drugs and pregnancy, and resuscitation of extra-mural activities. Recommendations for further research were made. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Substantial contributions have been made by lesbian and gay developmental theorists in understanding the development of lesbian and gay sexual identities, or what has come to be known as the coming out process. “Coming out of the closet” has become a central metaphor, in western contexts, for the recognisable process gay men and lesbians undergo in order to claim a relatively stable and enduring sexual identity, while overcoming obstacles such as heterosexism. Lesbians’ sexual identities are examined in this thesis through a Foucauldian lens which is fused with a narrative-discursive perspective. The aim of this study is not to trace a progressive development of identity, but rather to consider how lesbians in this study are located within a specific context, namely, a historically white university in post-apartheid South Africa, and how their identities are dynamic products of ever-shifting socio-historical spaces. Eight lesbians’ stories are analysed using the narrative-discursive method, which allows for a consideration for how the construction and negotiation of identities is shaped and constrained by social and discursive conditions. The women in this study do utilise the concept of coming out to some extent in their stories, but this narrative does not entirely account for their experiences. Instead, these women’s accounts reflect the way in which they personally experience heterosexism, and how they constantly negotiate their sexual identities within certain social and geographical spaces. When the nuances of lesbians’ contexts are taken into account, it becomes clear that claiming a lesbian identity is more than just about “coming out”, and rather about an on-going process of identity management.

Text in English, abstract in English, Afrikaans and Northern Sotho / This study examines why post-colonial African states are not able to institutionalise the ideal ethical and democratic societies, given their access to international best practices and the abundance of human and natural resources; why the future of democracy in Africa remains uncertain despite the current efforts at democratisation; if western democracy can be implemented in Africa; why the West is able to produce better systems of governance; why leaders and managers find it daunting to create the kind of society that is inspiring, ethical, immune to bureaucracy, and that possesses excellent economic performance; how leaders, members of the community, bureaucrats, corporate executives and managers can contribute to the realisation of the ethical and ideal African state; and the options for alternative democratic order for the African continent. The inability of post-colonial African states to institute systems and strategies that adequately address the needs and expectations of their citizens has created chaos and anarchy that in some states can be likened to Hobbes state of nature where the weak is at the mercy of the strong and life is nasty, brutish and short. While the West has been largely blamed for playing a significant role in Africa’s inability to effectively manage itself, other theorists criticise African leaders and the community members for their inability to conduct themselves ethically and to implement a constructive and effective system of governance. It is imperative that African states devise adequate means of ethically administering their territories in a manner that meets societal expectations and needs, and in order to avoid intractable socio-political and economic complications. / Hierdie studie ondersoek die redes waarom postkoloniale Afrika-lande nie die ideale etiese en demokratiese samelewings instabiliseer nie, gegewe hul toegang tot internasionale beste praktyke en die oorvloed van menslike en natuurlike hulpbronne; waarom die toekoms van demokrasie in Afrika onduidelik bly ten spyte van die huidige pogings vir demokratisering; as westerse demokrasie in Afrika geïmplementeer kan word; waarom die Weste beter stelsels van bestuur kan lewer; hoekom leiers en bestuurders dit skrikwekkend vind om die soort samelewing wat inspirerend, eties, immuun vir burokrasie is, te skep en wat uitstekende ekonomiese prestasie besit; hoe leiers, lede van die gemeenskap, burokrate, korporatiewe bestuurders en bestuurders kan bydra tot die verwesenliking van die etiese en ideale Afrika-staat; en die opsies vir alternatiewe demokratiese orde vir die Afrika-kontinent. Die onvermoë van post-koloniale Afrika-state om stelsels en strategieë in te stel wat die behoeftes en verwagtinge van hul burgers voldoende aanspreek, het chaos en anargie geskep wat in sommige state vergelykbaar kan wees met Hobbes se toestand van die natuur, waar die swakeling aan die genade van die wat sterk is afhanklik is en die lewe ‘n nare, brutaal en kort lewe is. Terwyl die Weste grotendeels die blaam kry in terme van hul groot bydra in Afrika se onvermoë om homself doeltreffend te bestuur, kritiseer ander teoretici Afrika-leiers en die gemeenskapslede vir hul eie onvermoë om eties op te tree en om 'n konstruktiewe en effektiewe bestuurstelsel te implementeer. Dit is noodsaaklik dat Afrika-state voldoende middele voorsien om hul gebiede eties te administreer op 'n wyse wat voldoen aan maatskaplike verwagtinge en behoeftes, en om onwikkelbare sosio-politieke en ekonomiese komplikasies te vermy. / Thuto ye e lekola mabaka a gore ke eng dinaga tša ka morago ga bokoloneale di sa kgone go hloma dipeakanyo tša maswanedi tša maitshwaro le ditšhaba tša temokrasi, tšeo di filwego phihlelelo go ditiro tše kaonekaone tša boditšhabatšhaba le bontši bja methopo ya semotho le tlhago: ke ka lebaka la eng Bodikela bo kgona go tšweletša mekgwa ye kaone ya pušo; ke ka lebaka la eng baetapele le balaodi ba hwetša go le boima go hlama mokgwa wa setšhaba seo se nago le mafolofolo, maitshwaro, se sa huetšwego ke mokgwa wa pušo wo o diphetho di tšewago ke bahlanka ba mmušo bao ba sa kgethwago, gomme ba na le tiro ye kgahlišago ka ikonomi; ka moo baetapele, maloko a setšhaba, batšeasephetho ba mmušo ba sa kgethwago, malokopharephare a dikoporasi le balaodi ba ka aba mo go phihlelelong ya maitshwaro le naga ya maswanedi ya Afrika; le go dikgetho tša peakanyo ye e hlatlolanago ya temokrasi mo kontinenteng ya Afrika. Go se kgone ga dinaga tša ka morago ga bokoloneale go hlama mekgwa le maano ao a maleba a go bolela ka ga dinyakwa le ditetelo tša baagi ba bona di hlotše tlhakatlhakano le tlhokapušo yeo mo go dinaga tše dingwe e ka bapetšwago le naga ya Hobbes ka tlhago moo mofokodi a lego ka fase ga yo maatla gomme bophelo bo se bose, bo le šoro le go ba bjo bokopana. Mola Bodikela bo pharwa molato kudu mo go bapaleng karolo ye e tšweletšego mo go se kgonego ga Afrika go itaola ka tshwanelo, borateori ba bangwe ba solago baetapele ba Afrika le maloko a setšhaba mo go se kgonego go itshwara gabotse le go phethagatša mokgwa wo hlamilwego gabotse wo o šomago wa pušo. A bonagala gore dinaga tša Afrika di loga maano a makaone a go laola ka tshwanelo dinagadilete tša bona ka mokgwa wo o tla fihlelelago ditetelo tša setšhaba le dinyakwa, le gore go thibelwe go se boelemorago ga dipolotiki tša selegae le tlhakatlhakano ya ikonomi. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Philosophy)

Afrikaans text / Besorgdheid het in die gemeenskap bestaan oar die toenemende getalle kinders wat binne die stedelike konteks van Pretoria op straat leef en werk. Hierdie navorsing is onderneem om die behoeftes van die kinders aan te spreek en om alternatiewe wyses te vind om met hulle te werk. 'n Konteks is geskep sodat na hulle stemme geluister kon word. nag 'n alternatief tot "tradisionele" vorme van gesinsterapie bruikbaar is, op sekere voorwaardes, soos aangedui in hoofstuk vier. Sleutelwoorde: reflekterende span; "straatkinders"; ekosistemiese benadering; ekologie; epistemologie; konstruktivisme; objektivisme; kubernetika; sisteemteorie; mikro-, meso- en makrosisteme; sirkulere en liniere punktuasie Ekosistemiese beginsels is aanvanklik benut, maar was nie vir die span wat saamgewerk het, betekenisvol nie. 'n Gevallestudie-ontwerp was nuttig om die ontwikkeling en "opleiding" van die span wat sou saamwerk, te beskryf, asook die benutting van ekosistemiese beginsels tydens dienste aan die "straatkinders" en hulle gesinne by ltumeleng. Die navorsing het aangedui dat 'n ekosistemiese benadering tot gesinsterapie as / The community showed concern about the increasing number of children living and working on the streets within the urban context of Pretoria. This researchwas undertaken to address the needs of these children and to find alternative ways of working with them. A context was created so that their voices could be heard. Ecosystemic principles were initially used, but were not meaningful to the team who worked together. A case study design proved useful in developing and "training" of the team who would be working together, as well as applying ecosystemic principles while making services available to the "street children" and their families in ltumeleng. The research indicated that an ecosystemic approach to family therapy could be used as an alternative to "traditional" forms of family therapy, subject to certain conditions, as stipulated in Chapter Four. / Social Work / M.A. (Sosiale Wetenskappe (Geestesgesondheid))

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-113) / The advent of HIV and AIDS has had a negative impact on the Catholic, Anglican and Methodist churches (as well as others) in Manicaland, Zimbabwe. This was due to the difficulty of accepting the reality of this pandemic. This happened because the disease came with unbearable psycho-social suffering rooted in stigmatisation and discrimination, especially among women, who were the most vulnerable group. This study critically examines and exposes the effects of HIV and AIDS on Manyika women. The researcher argues that, on the one hand, some religious and cultural practices contributed to the spread of the HIV and AIDS infection. On the other hand, some of these practices discouraged the spread of HIV and AIDS pandemic and needed to be enhanced. Furthermore, even if churches are involved in the battle against HIV, their efforts are hindered by cultural practices such as the Manyikas’ unwillingness to discuss taboo issues such as sex and gender in public. This makes women vulnerable. In addition, the problem has been complicated by the fact that the issue of sexuality is not openly discussed in the churches. Using qualitative methods, the researcher conducted interviews with Catholics and found that there is a need to continually engage with these communities. Their lived experiences can be used to bring about their liberation and improve their capacity to deal with their situation. The argument of this study is that there is an urgent need to liberate and empower women in the era of HIV and AIDS. The journey that has already been started by the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians (“the Circle”) could assist in the liberation of women to deal with the HIV and AIDS pandemic. In addition, this can build on Catholic Church HIV and AIDS interventions among the Manyika people of Zimbabwe as a premise of that process of liberation. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Phil. (Theology)

Ongoing public concern has been expressed concerning the improvement of academic performance of learners in selected Bushbuckridge rural schools, South Africa. Statistics gathered since 2008 demonstrate that the overall performance of secondary schools in the Grade 12 examinations in this region has been consistently poor. This study focused on the stakeholder perceptions of effect of indiscipline on academic performance of learners in selected Bushbuckridge rural schools. Lack of learner discipline in this region prompted this investigation. The general aim of the study was to understand manifestations of indiscipline in relation to learner performance in selected Bushbuckridge rural schools. The study used qualitative research methods and the sample comprised four secondary schools selected by purposive sampling. Individual structured interviews and focus group interviews were used to gather data. In each school, one school management team (SMT) and three educators participated in individual interviews, while four learners participated in focus group interviews. The findings indicated that schools which yielded poor academic performance were faced with learners’ disciplinary problems, which manifested in poor class attendance, late coming, persistent class disruptions, learners’ retaliation when disciplined by educators, alcohol and drug abuse, mocking and ignoring educators and plagiarism. Educators in school C and D lacked a disciplinary mechanism to enforce discipline in their classes since corporal punishment was abolished, hence the poor academic performance of learners. The implementation of the Integrated Quality Management Systems (IQMS), a departmental strategy aimed at developing educators in order to equip them with all the necessary skills to ensure the success of their schools which is measured against the academic achievement of the learners, had predominantly failed in schools to reach its goal. Educators mainly relied on parental support to deal with serious learner offences but this strategy was largely inadequate. The conceptual framework, ‘putting a plan into practice’, was used to explain the importance of learner discipline for the betterment of academic performance by expounding the five pillars that can be used to attain quality schools. These pillars, if put into practice, create an organizational climate which provides both educators and learners with an opportunity to function as partners in defining and creating success in schools. / Educational Studies / D. Ed.

Afrikaans text / Besorgdheid het in die gemeenskap bestaan oar die toenemende getalle kinders wat binne die stedelike konteks van Pretoria op straat leef en werk. Hierdie navorsing is onderneem om die behoeftes van die kinders aan te spreek en om alternatiewe wyses te vind om met hulle te werk. 'n Konteks is geskep sodat na hulle stemme geluister kon word. nag 'n alternatief tot "tradisionele" vorme van gesinsterapie bruikbaar is, op sekere voorwaardes, soos aangedui in hoofstuk vier. Sleutelwoorde: reflekterende span; "straatkinders"; ekosistemiese benadering; ekologie; epistemologie; konstruktivisme; objektivisme; kubernetika; sisteemteorie; mikro-, meso- en makrosisteme; sirkulere en liniere punktuasie Ekosistemiese beginsels is aanvanklik benut, maar was nie vir die span wat saamgewerk het, betekenisvol nie. 'n Gevallestudie-ontwerp was nuttig om die ontwikkeling en "opleiding" van die span wat sou saamwerk, te beskryf, asook die benutting van ekosistemiese beginsels tydens dienste aan die "straatkinders" en hulle gesinne by ltumeleng. Die navorsing het aangedui dat 'n ekosistemiese benadering tot gesinsterapie as / The community showed concern about the increasing number of children living and working on the streets within the urban context of Pretoria. This researchwas undertaken to address the needs of these children and to find alternative ways of working with them. A context was created so that their voices could be heard. Ecosystemic principles were initially used, but were not meaningful to the team who worked together. A case study design proved useful in developing and "training" of the team who would be working together, as well as applying ecosystemic principles while making services available to the "street children" and their families in ltumeleng. The research indicated that an ecosystemic approach to family therapy could be used as an alternative to "traditional" forms of family therapy, subject to certain conditions, as stipulated in Chapter Four. / Social Work / M.A. (Sosiale Wetenskappe (Geestesgesondheid))

Hazing is an ancient, universal practice. In past and modern societies, the need to join a group is an aspect of our humanity. The process of joining a group frequently includes the need to be hazed in order to legitimate full membership. This study uses the theoretical frameworks of Michel Foucault, Pierre Bourdieu’s perspectives of social order, Henri Tajfel and John Turner’s theory of social identity, and Albert Bandura’s theory of moral disengagement to look at individuals joining groups. In particular, the study has sought to ascertain why those who haze are motivated to act. A grounded theory has been developed through interviewing young adults, who while in positions of leadership as Grade 12 learners in Gauteng schools, planned hazing activities. The grounded theory shows that hazing while enacted by an individual is not solely driven by that person, but rather hazing is a means of cultural reproduction. The mechanism through which hazing occurs focuses on achieving a sense of belonging, conforming to a given culture and consenting to hazing. The hazer is motivated to pass on aspects of the school’s culture, namely school traditions, hierarchical structures, means and standards of discipline, and showing appropriate respect to others. The hazer believes that this can be achieved as those being hazed will comply if they can avoid being humiliated. The developed theory is grounded and was verified through interviewing stakeholders in the school community who had extensive knowledge of the school culture and of Grade 12 learners. / Ukufikisa kungumkhuba wasemandulo, owenziwa emhlabeni wonke. Emiphakathini yasendulo neyenamuhla, isidingo sokuhlanganyela neqembu elithile yinto eyingxenye yobuntu bethu. Inqubo yokuhlanganyela neqembu elithile kuvame ukufaka kukona isidingo sokufikiswa ukuze umuntu abe yilungu ngokuphelele. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzisa izinhlaka zemiqondo yezinzululwazi ezingoMichel Foucault noPeter Bourdieu wokuhleleka kwezenhlalakahle, umbono kaHenri Tajfel noJohn Turner wokuzibandakanya kwabantu kwezenhlalo kanye nombono ka-Albert Bandura wokuziphatha ngendlela engahambisani nemigomo yokulunga ukuze kubukwe abantu abajoyina amaqembu. Ngokusempeleni, ucwaningo lufuna ukubheka ukuthi labo abafikisayo bakhuthazwa yini. Umqondo wenzululwazi wakhiwa ngokuba kubuzwe intsha esencane imibuzo, intsha eyayihlela izinhlelo zokufikisa eyayisezikhundleni zokuhola abafundi ngenkathi yenza iBanga 12 ezikoleni zaseGauteng. Umbono wenzululwazi ozinzile uveza ukuthi ukufikiswa, yize kwenziwa umuntu oyedwa kusuke kungaholwa yilowo muntu kuphela, kodwa ukufikiswa kuyindlela yokukhiqiza kabusha ngokwesiko. Indlela okwenziwa ngayo lokhu kufikisa igxile ekufezeni umuzwa wokuba yingxenye yabathize, ukuguqukela osikweni nasekuvumeleni ukufikiswa. Lowo okunguye ofikisayo usuke efuna ukudlulisela phambili izingxenye zamasiko esikole, njengemikhuba, ukwakheka ngokushiyana kwamazinga, izindlela nemigomo yokuziphatha kahle, kanye nokubonisa inhlonipho kwabanye. Lowo okunguye ofikisayo ukholelwa ekutheni lokhu kungafezwa njengoba labo abafikiswayo bezokwenza lokho okuthiwa abakwenze inqobo nje uma bezogwema ukuhlukunyezwa. Umqondo wenzululwazi osunguliwe uzinzile futhi waqinisekiswa ngokufaka ababambiqhaza imibuzo emiphakathini yezikole eyayinolwazi olunzulu maqondana nesiko lesikole kanye nabafundi beBanga 12. / Thupiso ke mokgwa wa kgale, wa lefase ka bophara. Ditshabeng tsa kgale le tsa mehleng ye, tlhoko ya go tsenela sehlopha ke karolo ya botho bja rena. Tshepetso ya go tsenela sehlopha gantsi e akaretsa tlhoko ya thupiso go kgonthisisa boleloko bjo bo feletsego. Nyakisiso ye e somisa mahlamo a teori a Foucault, dipono tsa Pierre Bourdieu tsa thulaganyo ya setshaba, teori ya Henri Tajfel le John Turner ya boitshupo bja setshaba, le teori ya Albert Bandura ya tlogelo ya melawana ya boitshwaro go lekola batho ba ba tsenelago dihlopha. Ka kakaretso, nyakisiso ye e lekile go kgonthisisa gore gobaneng bao ba rupiswago ba hlohleletswa go tsea magato. Teori ya kgoboketso le tshekatsheko e tsweleditswe ka go botsisa baswa dipotsiso bao, ge ba sa le maemong a boetapele bjalo ka barutwana ba Mphato wa 12 dikolong tsa Gauteng, ba rulagantsego ditiro tsa go sira. Teori ya kgoboketso le tshekatsheko e laetsa gore thupiso bjale ka ge e diragatswa ke motho ga e susumetswe ke motho yoo a le nosi, eupsa thupiso ke mokgwa wa pusoloso ya setso. Mokgwa wo thupiso e diregago ka wona o tsepeletse go fihlelela boikwelo bja go amogelega, go latela setso se se filwego le go dumelelana le thupiso. Morupisi o hlohleletswa go fetisetsa dikarolo tsa setso tsa sekolo, e lego ditso tsa sekolo, dibopego tsa haerakhi, mekgwa le maemo a tayo, le go laetsa tlhompho ya maleba go ba bangwe. Morupisi o dumela gore se se ka fihlelelwa bjalo ka ge bao ba rupiswago ba obamela ge ba ka thibela go goboswa. Teori ye e hlabolotswego e kgobokeditswe le go sekasekwa gomme e ile ya tiiswa ka go ka botsisa bakgathatema dipotsiso sekolong sa setshaba bao ba nago le tsebo ye e tseneletsego ya setso sa sekolo le ya barutwana ba Mphato wa 12. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)