D.Technologiae / Higher education, as both a “place” and a “paradigm”, has throughout its history confronted challenges in the internal and external environments of its functioning (Brennan et al., 1999; Hirsch & Weber, 1999). In the twenty-first century, the nature of these challenges has necessitated that both the organizational character and curriculum offerings of higher education institutions be adaptive and responsive to changes occurring in the external environment. How institutions of higher learning react to these changes, is an issue of divergent viewpoints. “Reform” and “transformation” – in the same mould as “adaptation” and “responsiveness” – are viewed in this study as the fundamental points of departure in articulating a trajectory along which change in the curriculum perspectives has to occur. As a ‘product’ offered to its ‘consumers’ – the paying students – the higher education curriculum has been a fiercely contested epistemological terrain. On the one hand is the concern that it services the interests of industry and commerce, to the detriment of society; while on the other, the curriculum has been viewed as reproducing elitist values. The problem then, is located in the realm of the curriculum’s capacity to respond to the contradictory nature of the multiple stakeholder interests. The South African higher education system is faced with the problem of firstly, de-contextualizing and disengaging the curriculum from its erstwhile political ramifications (CHE, 2000b). Secondly, affordable and quality higher education is expected to be assimilated into the broader national socioeconomic imperatives. From this study’s perspective, the problem statement is situated in the context of the curriculum’s capacity to meet the local reconstruction and developmental needs; while also adhering to international imperatives ushered in mainly by globalisation and the concomitant proliferation of alternative providers who have challenged the claim to epistemological hegemony by traditional universities. In other words, are current curriculum trends in higher education directed at meeting society’s needs; or is the entrepreneurial imperative more sacrosanct? One of the main challenges for South African higher education curriculum reform/transformation policy concerns then, should be to define and determine how the local and global curriculum polemics are to be reined-in in the broader ‘public good’ and social contract in improving the lives of all citizens. Through its empirical phase, the study has attempted to investigate the extent to which higher education curriculum trends ‘conform’ or ‘deviate’ from worldwide curriculum practices. In that regard, policy rhetoric was able to be differentiated from actual policy implementation. In order that problems of critical generalisability be obviated, data and method triangulation were utilised; also taking into account the institutional reconfiguration that had major consequences for the curriculum, especially at institutions undergoing “comprehensive” organizational and curriculum restructuring. The extent of institutional curriculum ‘deviation’ or ‘conformity’ was therefore determined on the basis of the collective integration of literature-based and empirical data and information/knowledge. The case study research conducted through questionnaires and interviews at the designated research sites (two higher education institutions with disparate academic cultures) therefore serves as the basis upon which larger investigations and broader perspectives could be incorporated, particularly from the extensive literature review. While the two case studies could have limitations of generalisability, some practices and trends lend themselves to a greater degree of the transferability of the findings. For instance, the knowledge stratification inherent in the Western university model (Makgoba, 1998; Scott, 1997) has perpetrated an environment of epistemological ‘supremacy’ within local higher education curriculum policy formulation frameworks. In that regard, it has emerged from the case study that Africanisation (in its epistemological, rather than ‘anthropological/cultural’ sense) is not part of a critical and mainstream curriculum organization tenet. While this observation could be argued to be institution-specific, it certainly also reflects a systemic trend. In the light of the epistemological context cited above, is it to be assumed then that the ‘politics of knowledge’ (Apple, 1990; Lyotard, 1994; Muller, 2000) is an extant curriculum/epistemological nuance even in the twenty-first century? The realizable outcomes of the study materialized in the conceptualisation and development of a trilogy of models on Africanisation; in which the input, mediating/modulating, and output triad factor characterises an environment of possibilities for its integration into the mainstream higher education curriculum.

M.A. / The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a worksite-based program designed to assist in the identification and resolution of productivity problems associated with employees impaired by personal and work-related concerns. Although EAPs have been established in government departments in South Africa in recent years, this model has not yet been tried in the Department of Education, Malamulele district. The Department of Education can be described as a work environment that has many characteristics common to most other work environments, but it appears that there are characteristics that are unique to the particular context that have to be considered before establishing an EAP in such context. This study will attempt to provide fresh perspectives to the Department of Education; it may happen that this model can be introduced subsequent to the submission of the recommendations. EAP is regarded as a component for workforce development and quality of work-life in contemporary organizations; therefore it is vital that this program should be established in the Department of Education. The primary aim of this study is to explore the perceptions and needs of teaching personnel regarding the feasibility and the implementation of EAP in the work environment. The objectives are as follows: to peruse the available literature relevant to the research topic, to collect qualitative data from teachers by means of focus groups, to compile a profile of perceptions and needs for the formulation of proposal regarding the feasibility of implementing an EAP in the educational setting, to transcribe, analyze and present the data that was collected in a way that it can generate knowledge about the feasibility of EAP in the rural area of Malamulele, to submit recommendations to the Department of Education and to identify and recommend areas for future research. The study was conducted with 12 teachers and 7 managers (principals) in the Department of Education, Malamulele district, Limpopo. The research findings postulate that teachers perceive EAP as vital and also feasible for their work environment. They articulate that it should have been established long time ago.

M.Ed. / During adolescence confusion in idendity can occur (Louw. 1990:463) as adolescents find themselves in a period of transition. During this phase of life a positive self -concept is extremely important. because it determines where the person will fit into society, choices he will make (louw. 1990:460) and whether he is successful in his relationship with his fellow men (Staples, 1991: I I I). It is therefore extremely important that adolescents accept themselves. Although information about self-concept development is available. the researcher found that some adolescents still suffer from low self-concept which might, if not addressed. become hindrances to optimal development and self-actualisation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether self-esteem in adolescents could be improved. A program based on Constructivistic principles was developed and ten adolescents actively participated therein for ten sessions of two hours each. Nine components of self-concept development was discussed, namely: what is self-concept; how is self-concept formed; the ideal self; proactive attitude; conflict resolution strategies; self-assertiveness and friends. The last session was reserved for the evaluation on the program and self-growth. The development of the respondents were assessed and video's were taken. Workbooks were also analyzed. Measures to ensure trustworthiness was kept in mind and the development of the respondents were discussed with their parents.

The purpose of this study is to make a survey of the aims of education and the ways in which they have been achieved. Special attention is given to the influences which have been influential in producing changes in these aims, and to the modifications which have been made.

"Since education is a process of development and growth throughout all life, it is necessary for man to realize that its forms and purposes vary from one environmental and societal condition to another. However, education is also a process by which the individual is trained to conform to the behavior patterns of society. In this society with its many values, some confused and conflicting, two values are basic: a belief in the potential worth of each individual, and reliance upon the method of individual and group intelligence in the solution of problems. When either of these basic values is challenged, democracy is threatened. Research shows that the elementary school's basic function is the education of its children for life in a confused and changing society. Also that this function requires close co-operation between the school and community. How to bridge the gap between the small limited community life of the Remerton children, who of necessity must also live in a school and other societies outside their community, provides an impetus for skillful planning and consequently the primary purpose of this paper"--Introduction. / "August, 1953." / Typescript. / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts." / Advisor: Virgil E. Strickland, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-68).

No description available.

On March 26, 1986, Governor Gerald L. Baliles appointed the Commission on Excellence in Education and charged them with the responsibility of bringing him recommendations for specific actions to place Virginia in the top ten states in the Quality of education it offers. The Commission's Report, entitled Excellence in Education: A Plan for Virginia's Future. contained thirty-six recommendations and was submitted to the Governor in October, 1986. Specifically this study was designed to determine how and why the thirty-six recommendations were made by the Commission. Those key actors or decision makers and those key factors that were most influential in developing the thirty-six recommendations made by the Commission were to be identified. A third purpose of this study was to determine whether the impact of the Commission's Report had met or exceeded the expectations of those responsible for the report. / Ed. D.

謝淸美. / 複印本. / Thesis (M.A.)--香港中文大學. / Fu yin ben. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-54). / Xie Qingmei. / Thesis (M.A.)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue.

The purpose of this study was to determine if individuals who are professionally committed to careers in public education possess public service motivation. The participants in this study were a sample of convenience selected through their enrollment in graduate education programs within three East Coast universities. The sample was stratified into three groups based on their education roles as teachers, aspiring leaders, and school district administrators. Based on the 258 education sector participants, the majority were Caucasian, female, and under the age of 30. All respondents held at least a bachelor's degree and the majority held up to ten years tenure in education. Utilizing an abridged version of Perry's (1996) multi-dimensional scale that was modified for the education sector, the public service motivation (PSM) construct was measured using an Internet survey approach. Three of the public service motivation dimensions and two commitment items were used to operationalize the PSM and professional commitment of education professionals within their current roles. Correlation, regression, ANOVA, and t-test analyses were conducted to examine the data collected. Study findings concluded that education professionals possess public service motivation and are professionally committed to their careers. In addition, results indicated that school district administrators possessed higher levels of public service motivation than teachers. Furthermore, demographic characteristics indicated that educators who are older, more experienced, and highly educated possess higher levels of PSM. Perhaps the most critical discovery was that when comparing education professionals to their public administration counterparts, educators possessed higher levels of public service motivation. These findings have several important implications for education institutions, academic scholars, human resource managers, and leadership preparation programs that would all benefit from all / by Jacqueline Ackerina. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2012. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

The purpose of this project is to develop a confluent interdisciplinary unit for use by other teachers. Confluent education focuses on teaching the affective and cognitive domains in a seamless approach in which the education of both domains are part of the objectives in the lessons. Includes lesson plans.