The aim of the current study was to explore the impact of the Educhange and Research Foundation (ERF) self-awareness programme on the participants’ reactions, experiences, and changes in opinion regarding their knowledge of concepts of self-awareness. This study constitutes an evaluation of a workshop presented by the ERF which is a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) aimed at generating solutions toward a better education for all learners through the application of Kirkpatrick’s model of evaluating education and training programmes. Kirkpatrick’s model follows the goal-based evaluation approach and is based on four levels of evaluation. These four levels are widely known as reaction, learning, behaviour, and results. Due to the feasibility of the research, only the reaction and learning evaluation levels were researched. The population identified for the study comprised 15 grade 9 to 11 secondary school learners from Soweto in South Africa which were encouraged to volunteer to take part in the study at their convenience. The sample consisted of all the learners who attended the self-awareness workshop, in effect making this a purposive, convenience sampling. The ERF Board were responsible for the sample selection for their scholarship programme. One of the minimum criteria of selection to take part in the programme was that the learner must have obtained 70% and stem from poor backgrounds. The relatively small sample size possesses the potential to limit the generalisation of the findings. A mixed method approach was employed for this research. Positivist paradigm is the epistemological stance adopted due to the social reality investigated. The sources of data consisted of pre- and post-evaluation questionnaires on self-awareness. The results were thematically and statistically analysed. Thematic analysis included familiarisation with the data and first finding meaning, and then identifying patterns of recurring meaning by generating initial codes and lastly generating themes that run through these meanings.Statistical analysis was conducted through comparison of the data before and after the workshop using chi-square. Objective self-awareness theory and the self-regulation theory were the theoretical framework that informed the current research study. The main finding from this study was that the programme was perceived to have raised positive subjective opinions and feelings of most of the participants, although one participant raised negative subjective opinions about the programme and made suggestions for improvement. After the workshop, the participants felt that they had gained a better understanding of the key concepts of self-awareness, although most items were found to be statistically insignificant. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Xhosa / Critical thinking competencies are not only seen as crucial for success in higher education, but also for future personal and workplace success. These competencies are commonly cited as a graduate attribute or goal of higher education, and resulting research has tended to focus on exploring and measuring the development of critical thinking competencies in students within higher education. However, few researchers have explored the curriculum and practice of academic staff within higher education in relation to their influence on developing critical thinking competencies in students, or how they theorise about the development of these competencies as part of their professional practice. Within the South African context, there is a perception of a decline in the development of critical thinking competencies within the secondary school system. This has informed policy imperatives to improve access and success in South African higher education through additional support for students, as well as through research into the first-year experience. Within a constructivist paradigm, and adopting a qualitative approach, this study takes the first year of higher education as its context in order to explore the curriculum, assessment, pedagogical and andragogical practices of academic staff designed to develop critical thinking competencies in first-year students. The aim is to explore how academic staff construct their theory and practice in order to contribute to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in South African Higher Education. Phenomenological case study research methods, which draw on data collection through semi-structured interviews and document analysis, enabled a better understanding of the lived experience of academic staff within private higher education. Academic staff, as research participants, were able to describe deliberate actions taken in their teaching practices to facilitate the development and assessment of critical thinking competencies. The findings revealed that academic staff – while having no coherent, well-articulated construction of critical thinking competencies – feel that such competencies are essential for academic and future life success. This not only affirmed previous research reviewed, but aligned to the inclusion of explicit and implicit references to critical thinking competencies found in the curriculum and assessment documents. Recommendations for professional development responded specifically to these findings. / Kritiese denkvaardighede word nie net as wesentlik vir sukses in hoër onderwys beskou nie, maar ook vir toekomstige sukses, op persoonlike vlak en in die werkplek. Hierdie bevoegdhede word algemeen aanvaar as dié van ‘n gegradueerde of as oogmerk in hoër onderwys. Gevolglik was ondersoeke geneig om te fokus op die verkenning en meting van die ontwikkeling van kritiekedenkbevoegdhede by studente binne die hoër onderwys. Min navorsers het egter die kurrikulum en praktyk van akademiese personeel binne die hoër onderwys met betrekking tot hul invloed op die ontwikkeling van kritiekedenkbevoegdhede in studente verken nie, of hoe hulle teoretiseer oor die ontwikkeling van hierdie bevoegdhede as deel van hul professionele praktyk. Binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks is die persepsie dat die ontwikkeling van kritiekedenkbevoegdhede binne die sekondêreskoolstelsel afneem. Dit het bygedra tot beleidsimperatiewe om toegang en sukses in die Suid-Afrikaanse hoër onderwys te verbeter deur bykomende ondersteuning aan studente te gee, asook deur die eerstejaarervaring te ondersoek. Binne ‘n konstruktivistiese paradigma, en deur gebruik te maak van ‘n kwalitatiewe benadering, neem hierdie studie die eerste jaar van hoër onderwys as konteks ten einde die kurrikulum, assessering, pedagogiese en andragogiese praktyke van akademiese personeel wat ontwerp is om kritiekedenkbevoegdhede by eerstejaarstudente te verken. Die doel is om na te volg hoe akademiese personeel hul teorie en praktyk saamstel ten einde by te dra tot die Kundigheid in Onderrig en Leer in Suid-Afrika se Hoër Onderwys. Fenomenologiese gevallestudienavorsingsmetodes wat steun op die inwin van data deur middel van semigestruktureerde onderhoude en dokumentontleding, het gelei tot beter begrip van die geleefde ervaring van akademiese personeel binne privaat hoër onderwys. Akademiese personeel, as navorsingsgenote, kon optrede beskryf wat doelbewus in hul onderrigpraktyke geneem word om die ontwikkeling en assessering van kritiekedenkbevoegdhede te fasiliteer. Die bevindinge het getoon dat akademiese personeel – sonder koherente, goed geartikuleerde konstruksie van kritiekedenkbevoegdhede – voel dat sulke vaardighede wesentlik is vir akademiese en toekomstige sukses in die lewe. Dit het nie net vorige navorsing bevestig nie, maar gestrook met die insluiting van eksplisiete en implisiete verwysings na kritiekedenkbevoegdhede binne die kurrikulum- en assesseringsdokumente. Aanbevelings vir professionele ontwikkeling het spesifiek op hierdie bevindinge reageer. / Ubuchule bokucinga nzulu abubonwa kuphela njengecebo elibalulekileyo lokuphumelela kwimfundo ephakamileyo, bukwabonwa njengecebo lokuphumelela komntu kwizinto zakhe nakwindawo axelenga kuyo. Obu buchule bukholisa ukuchazwa njengenjongo yemfundo ephakamileyo, kwaye uphando lweziphumo luthande ukugxininisa ekuqwalaseleni nasekulinganiseleni ukuphuhliseka kwezakhono zokucinga nzulu kubafundi bemfundo ephakamileyo. Noxa kunjalo, bambalwa abaphandi bolwazi abakhe baqwalasela ukusetyenziswa kwekharityhulam ngabahlohli bemfundo ephakamileyo malunga nefuthe ekuphuhliseni izakhono zokucinga nzulu kubafundi, okanye iingcingane zophuhliso lokuphuhliseka kwezi zakhono njengenxalenye yomsebenzi wabo. Kwimeko yoMzantsi Afrika kukho imbono yokuba ziyaphelelwa izakhono zokucinga nzulu kwinkqubo yemfundo yezikolo zeesekondari. Oku kukhokelele ekusekeni iinkqubo zempumelelo kwimfundo ephakamileyo ngokunika inkxaso eyongezelelekileyo kubafundi, nangokuphanda ngamava abafundi abakunyaka wokuqala. Ngokujonga kwinkalo ethi imfundo yinkqubo yokusebenza, nangokusebenzisa indlela yophando lomgangatho, esi sifundo sithatha unyaka wokuqala wemfundo ephakamileyo njengemeko nendawo yokuqwalasela ukusetyenziswa kwekharityhulam, uhlolo, ukufundiswa kolutsha nasebekhulile ngabahlohli ekuphuhliseni izakhono zokucinga nzulu kubafundi bonyaka wokuqala. Injongo kukuqwalasela ukuba abahlohli bayiqulunqa njani ingcingane nokusebenza ukuze kuncediswe kubungcali bokufundisa nokufunda kwimfundo ephakamileyo yoMzantsi Afrika. Iindlela zophando zeemeko ezithile, ezifumana iinkcukacha zolwazi ngokuqhuba udliwano ndlebe oluphantse lwangqongqo, nangokuphengulula imibhalo, kwanceda ukuba kuqondakale ngcono amava abahlohli bemfundo ephakamileyo yabucala. Abahlohli abangabathathi nxaxheba kuphando baye bakwazi ukuchaza izenzo ezingqalileyo ezenzelwe ukuphuhlisa nokuhlola izakhono zokucinga nzulu. Okufunyanisiweyo kwadulisa ukuba abahlohli – lo gama bengenasakhelo sibambekayo nesinokuchazwa gca sezakhono zokucinga nzulu – bayaqonda ukuba ezi zakhono zingundoqo kwimpumelelo kwezemfundo nakubomi obuzayo. Oku akwanelanga nje ukungqina okuvezwe luphando lwangaphambili, koko kongeze kosele kuthethwa ngqo okanye mayana, kwimibhalo yekharityhulam nohlolo, malunga nezakhono zokucinga nzulu. Iingcebiso zophuhliso zisabele ngqo koko kufunyanisiweyo. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Phil.(Education in the subject Curriculum Studies)

For the knowledge economy of the twenty-first century, intellectual skills (such as critical thinking) have been identified as imperative for success. Educational institutions have a responsibility to equip students with the knowledge and skills required for future employment. The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants has identified critical thinking as one of the skills that should be developed in Financial Accounting students who wish to become chartered accountants. For this limited-scope dissertation a qualitative study was done, applying a constructivist paradigm to a case study design, to explore the development of critical thinking in first-year Financial Accounting students in an open distance and e-learning context in South Africa. To achieve this, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with twelve academics and the use of document analysis. As the focus of the study was limited to two first-year financial accounting modules which form part of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants accredited programme taught at an open distance and e-learning institution, the findings cannot be generalised. While the perceptions of students were not considered in the study, the findings provide valuable insight into the development of critical thinking in accounting modules. The findings revealed that, although academics believe critical thinking skills and good thinking habits should be developed in first-year Financial Accounting students, it is currently only done through a content-centred approach, or not at all. Furthermore, only technologies which academics are comfortable using, are being incorporated, mainly for the delivery of content. The recommendations made for curriculum evaluation and professional development relate specifically to these findings. / Vir die een-en-twintigste-eeuse kennisekonomie is intellektuele vaardighede (soos kritiese denke) geïdentifiseer as noodsaaklik vir sukses. Opvoedkundige instellings het 'n verantwoordelikheid om studente met die kennis en vaardighede toe te rus wat nodig is vir toekomstige indiensneming. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Instituut vir Geoktrooieerde Rekenmeesters het kritiese denke geïdentifiseer as 'n vaardigheid wat studente in Finansiële Rekeningkunde, wat geoktrooieerde rekenmeesters wil word, moet ontwikkel. Vir hierdie verhandeling van beperkte omvang, is 'n kwalitatiewe studie gedoen deur 'n konstruktivistiese paradigma toe te pas op 'n gevallestudie-ontwerp om die ontwikkeling van kritiese denke in eerstejaarstudente in Finansiële Rekeningkunde in 'n oop e-afstandsleerkonteks in Suid-Afrika te ondersoek. Om hierdie doel te bereik, is data versamel deur semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude te voer met twaalf akademici en dokumentontleding te gebruik. Omdat die studie beperk was tot twee eerstejaar finansiële rekeningkunde modules, wat deel vorm van die Suid-Afrikaanse Instituut vir Geoktrooieerde Rekenmeesters se geakkrediteerde program wat by 'n oop e-afstandsleerinstelling aangebied word, kan die bevindinge nie veralgemeen word nie. Alhoewel die studente se persepsies nie in die studie in ag geneem is nie, bied die bevindings waardevolle insig oor die ontwikkeling van kritiese denke in rekeningkundemodules. Die bevindings dui daarop dat, alhoewel akademici glo dat vaardighede in kritiese denke en goeie denkgewoontes in die eerste jaar van Finansiële Rekeningkunde onderrig moet word, word dit tans slegs deur 'n inhoudgebaseerde benadering gedoen, of glad nie. Verder word slegs tegnologieë geïnkorporeer waarmee akademici gemaklik is, hoofsaaklik vir die oordrag van die inhoud. Die aanbevelings vir kurrikulumevaluering en professionele ontwikkeling hou spesifiek verband met hierdie bevindings. / Kha ikonomi ya nḓivho ya ḓanwaha fumbili nthihi, zwikili zwa nḓivho (zwi ngaho vhukoni ha u humbula nga nḓila yo dzudzaneaho) zwo topolwa sa ndaela ya mvelaphanḓa. Zwiimiswa zwa pfunzo zwi na vhudifhinduleli u lugisela matshudeni nga ndivho na zwikili zwine zwa ṱodea mishumoni ya tshifhingani tshidaho. Tshiimiswa tsha Afrika Tshipembe tsha Vhomakone vha Akhaunthini tsho topola vhukoni ha u humbula nga ndila yo dzudzaneaho vhune ha tea u bveledzwa kha matshudeni a Akhaunthini ya Masheleni vhane vha tama u vha vhomakone vha muvhalelano. Ho itwa ngudo dza khwalithathivi dza desithesheni ya tshikoupu tsho pimiwaho, hu tshi khou u fhaṱwa ndivho na kupfesesele nga kha tshenzhemo kha u bveledza ngudo, u wanulusa vhukoni ha u humbula nga ndila yo dzudzaneaho kha nwaha wa u thoma kha matshudeni a Akhaunthuni ya Masheleni kha nyimele ya tshiimiswa tsha u guda u kule na kha lubuvhisia Afrika Tshipembe. U swikelela izwi, data yo kuvhanganyiwa nga kha inthaviwu dzo dzudzanywaho na vhoraakademi vha fumimbili na u shumisa musaukanyo wa linwalo. Sa musi ngudo yo vha yo sedza fhedzi kha mimodulu mivhili ya nwaha wa u thoma ya Akhaunthini ya masheleni ine ya vhumba tshipida tsha mbekanyamushumo ya akhiredithesheni ya Tshiimiswa tsha Afrika Tshipembe tsha Vhomakone vha Akhaunthuni ine ya funzwa kha tshiimiswa tsha u guda u kule na kha Lubuvhisia, mawanwa a nga si angaredzwa. Ngeno kuvhonele kwa matshudeni ku songo dzhielwa ntha kha ngudo, mawanwa o ṋetshedzwa ndivho ya ndeme kha mveledziso ya vhukoni ha u humbula nga ndila yo dzudzaneaho kha mimodulu ya akhaunthini. Mawanwa o dzumbulula uri, naho vhoraakademi vha tshi tenda uri zwikili zwa vhukoni ha u humbula nga ndila yo dzudzaneaho na maitele a kuhumbulele kwavhudi zwi fanela u bveledziswa kha nwaha wa u thoma wa matshudeni vha Akhaunthini ya Masheleni, zwa zwino zwi khou itwa fhedzi nga kha maitele o disendekaho nga zwi re ngomu, kana zwa sa itwe na luthihi. Zwi tshe zwo ralo, ndi thekhinolodzhi fhedzi dzine vhoraakademi vha takalela u dzi shumisa, zwo tanganyiswa, nga maanda ndisedzo ya zwi re ngomu. Themendelo dzo itwa kha u ela kharikhulamu na mveledziso dzi re na vhushaka na mawanwa anea o tiwaho. / Institute for Open and Distance Learning (IODL) / M. Ed. (Open and Distance Learning)