A research report submitted to the Wits School of Education and the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science by combination of coursework and research. Johannesburg, 5 June 2017 / This research report focussed on the teaching of the function concept directed at the errors the learners make as well as the misconceptions which could be associated with those errors. The study was conducted at a secondary school in Johannesburg, South Africa. This was a qualitative error analysis study which also had a form of interventional or remedial teaching. The research was driven by the following research questions: (1) What errors and misconceptions do grade 11 learners show on functions?, (2) What learning affordances and constraints can be created if teaching is directed at learners’ errors and misconceptions? and, (3) To what extent can the learners’ achievement on the topic functions be boosted if teaching is directed at learners’ errors and misconceptions? The study used a purposive sample of six grade 11 mathematics learners from a group of 34 learners. To answer these questions, I structured the study to encompass numerous phases of data collection using different instruments. Firstly, I constructed a test instrument and used it on this group of grade 11 learners. These learners had been taught functions earlier in the year, so the test was diagnostic to measure the cognitive levels of the learner on the concept and also to establish the errors made and misconceptions they carried onto the section from other sections or picked up from the function concept. The study was mainly based on the constructivism theory of learning and teaching, but also had other theories to link to it such at the socio-cultural theory, the APOS (actions, process, object and schema) theory, the concept image and concept definition as well as the variation theory. The errors I picked up from the pre-test I classified and analysed using the conceptual framework grounded on the abovementioned theories. It was this analysis which enabled me to structure the desired intervention program together with the teacher after which I conducted a post-test with the subjects. Other forms of data collection such as the interview and observation were employed during the study. I used the interview to get clarity from the learners’ pre-test questions responses, whilst the observation I used during the intervention lessons the teacher had with the learners. Indeed the findings were that, while there was a substantial improvement on learner performance on the post-test, it appeared clearly that cognitive levels of the learners on the function concept had been enhanced. This improvement of performance was a result of the teaching that was directed at the errors, which also interprets to having created a favourable environment which could be interpreted as learning affordances to boost the learners’ understanding of the function concept. / LG2017

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Johannesburg, August, 2014. / The research described in this thesis is a case study of the factors influencing teachers’ use of computers for teaching at a private secondary school in South Africa. Two problems motivated the study. Firstly, teachers were not using ICT for meaningful learning despite the South African Education Department's emphasis on the use of ICT in education. Secondly, teachers were not coping with the demands of a new school curriculum involving innovative practices and new content. The case study school had purchased a software package for the sciences which claimed to be suitable for the new South African curriculum. The software package was evaluated as part of the study, to investigate its usefulness for supporting Life Sciences teachers to teach new content during a period of curriculum change. The study comprised two phases, one before and one after the school introduced an innovation promoting the use of ICT for instruction. In the absence of a suitable model to underpin the investigation a literature-based mind-map was constructed to provide a conceptual framework to guide the study. An analysis of 48 papers reporting on the factors affecting teachers’ use of computers led to the identification of 43 factors, which were classified into categories and sub-categories in the form of a hierarchical map showing the relationships between the factors, and providing the framework used to structure the investigation of factors. This was later developed into a holistic model showing the relationships between the factors, based on the theory of planned behaviour, but modified by the addition of knowledge and skills, which were found to influence teachers’ computer usage directly, as well as impacting on teachers’ beliefs, attitudes and behavioural intentions about using technology. This model could be useful for stakeholders to identify factors that could be used to promote the use of ICT in ways that benefit learning. During the first phase factors were identified using participant observation recorded by means of a researcher’s journal and semi-structured interviews with four teachers, with open-ended checklists being used for the software evaluation. Five categories of teacher-level factors (factors within teachers' control) were identified which affected their use of ICT: teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of ICT; teachers’ attitudes towards ICT; teachers’ level of innovativeness; teachers’ technological knowledge; and teachers’ level of ICT proficiency. Five categories of institutional factors (beyond teachers’ control) also emerged: the availability and accessibility of computer hardware; the availability of suitable software; the level of technical support available; the provision of training; and the amount of time available to plan for and use technology for teaching and learning. The biodiversity section of the software package purchased by the school was evaluated in terms of supporting teachers with teaching this new section of content required by the new curriculum. Five features of software design were evaluated: the extent to which the software promoted seven of the nine new classroom practices required by the new South African curriculum, the extent to which the package covered the content needed to teach biodiversity and the pedagogical strategies used to teach this content, how effectively the user interface conveyed messages to users, and the multimedia strategies used in the software package to promote effective learning. The software evaluation aspect of the study led to the development of several open-ended checklists to evaluate different relevant curriculum-related criteria, and a new model for the context-based evaluation of software which could be useful for designers of instructional software. iii The introduction at the case study school of an innovation promoting the use of ICT for instruction allowed the study to enter a second phase extending the sample for investigating factors affecting ICT use, and focusing on teachers' use of computers in response to being provided with more ICT resources and being required to set computer-based tasks for learners to complete at home on dedicated technology days (DigiDays). During this phase multiple online questionnaires were administered to a sample of 29 teachers, semi-structured interviews were conducted, and 33 ICTbased tasks set by the teachers were reviewed using content analysis, to see whether they used technology effectively. The innovation allowed three obstacles which had emerged during the first phase of the study to be investigated in more depth. Firstly, the setting aside of time for computerbased work addressed the lack of time for using computers in lessons, mentioned by teachers during the first phase of the study, and permitted an investigation of whether this alleviated the time pressures teachers associated with using computers. Secondly, the effect of the training provided for using Moodle on DigiDays was investigated to see whether it adequately prepared teachers to use computers in ways which enhanced learning. A lack of training which met teachers' needs had emerged during the first phase as a major factor hindering teachers' use of computers. Thirdly, the influence of teachers’ levels of innovativeness on their computer use outside of the mandated usage on DigiDays was investigated. Teachers were classified into groups based on Rogers’ adopter categories (Rogers, 1962, 2003), but using additional features to just the rate of uptake of an innovation, used by Rogers. A quick and easy method involving a questionnaire and associated key for placing teachers into adopter categories was developed. This method could facilitate the classification of teachers into adopter categories and the tailoring of support aimed at promoting the rate of uptake of ICT, based on the characteristics of the different adopter groups. Case studies of selected teachers were carried out to better understand why they were using computers in certain ways. Based on the model of Donnelly et al. (2011) the selected teachers were grouped according to whether they were using ICT for teaching in instructivist or constructivist ways, and whether or not they showed discerning use of ICT for teaching. A number of subgroups emerged, highlighting the need to understand the complex reasons underlying teachers' behaviours relating to using ICT and underscoring the importance of designing training programmes based on why teachers use ICT for teaching in a particular way.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Fine Arts, 2015 / This research explores the dialogical in arts pedagogy. This form of pedagogy is understood to allow for both the learner and educator to participate by exchanging experiences without the one being more superior to the other (Freire 1968, p. 169). In this thesis I use the Zulu term Inkulumo-Mpendulwano, which, rudimentarily, means dialogue. Broken down, Inkulumo means to talk or to have a conversation and Mpendulwano means to respond. However, I also use the term Ukufundisa, which means “to teach” but also “to instruct” and “to school” which is an authoritarian way of teaching. What is emphasised in this research is not only the potentiality of InkulumoMpendulwano interactions which can be adapted in the classroom as well as curated spaces, but by introducing different terminologies I attempt to reimagine the language and practices associated with arts education. This further engages with the possibility of changes in terminology and vocabularies, how the written and spoken is understood differently and how visual and spatial modes become central to changing the learner/teacher dynamic. This dissertation exemplifies two cases of the dialogical arts pedagogy. The first is a case study of Keleketla! Library and the second is a participatory action research approach where I work as an artist-educator for the practical component of this research entitled Artucation Programme. The outcome of this research is a written dissertation and a creative project that investigates InkulumoMpendulwano interactions in arts education. / XL2018

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts (Clinical Psychology). March 1993 / There are many AIDS prevention programmes which are being conducted in South Africa at present. This research examined one specific programme to assess whether it resulted in a change in attitudes (to AIDS, to homosexuality and to the sexuality of black people), using the information processing approach to attitude formation and change of Fishbein and Ajzen (1975). [Abbreviated abstract. Open document to view full version] / MT2016

Thesis presented for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Business Science, Human Resources Management) in the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, June 2017 / For the past two years, South Africa has been gripped by a spate of demonstrations by university students demanding free university education. These demonstrations have been violent, and mediation efforts have not succeeded in yielding long-term results. According to the theory of rising expectations, in an economy that is improving and where the people are not oppressed, their expectations often outstrip the pace of actual change (Gale, 2008). When there is a mismatch between what people expect and what they actually get, theory suggests that rising expectations lead to civil unrest as demands for improvement continue to grow. It is the contention of this thesis that the theory of rising expectations is associated with the behaviour of the university students as they make demands for free education, better employment opportunities and more accountability from the government. Also associated with the behaviour of these university students in South Africa is generational cohort theory, which predicts that certain significant national and global events have a long-lasting impact on value systems of individual groups and social orders resulting in the formation of new generational cohorts (Smolla & Sutton, 2002). These individuals then share enduring distinctive sets of values, beliefs, and behaviours (Strauss & Howe, 2000). Furthermore, research suggests that Generation Y are materialistic, which is the value individuals place on possessions (Belk, 1985), have a high entitlement mentality, and their work values are mostly extrinsic. Entitlement has been defined as a “pervasive sense that one deserves more and is entitled to more than others” (Campbell, Bonacci, Shelton, Exline, & Bushman, 2004, p. 31). In the absence of literature that relates to the potential influence of the theory of rising expectations and generational cohort theory on the behaviour of Generation Y in South Africa, this research seeks to: (i) investigate whether Generation Y are indeed materialistic and entitled; (ii) investigate the potential influence of demographic factors on work centrality, work values, materialism, and an entitlement mentality; (iii) investigate the potential influence of work centrality, work values, and materialism on an entitlement mentality; and (iv) investigate the mediating effect of materialism on the relationship between demographic factors, work values, work centrality, and an entitlement mentality in the context of a private college and a public university in South Africa. This research employed a two-stage approach. The first stage, a quantitative study, applied a descriptive approach to validate and justify the research findings that link Generation Y with materialism and entitlement mentality. Entitlement mentality was measured using two dimensions: exploitative and nonexploitative entitlement. Based on a literature review, a model was then developed and tested in the second stage of the study using Structural Equation Modelling. Findings from Stage Two suggested that Generation Y are materialistic and highly entitled, but that their entitlement is non-exploitative. Men were found to be more materialistic than women, but women were found to be more entitled than men. However, both genders were found to have low levels of exploitative entitlement, albeit with men showing slightly higher levels of exploitative entitlement. Gender and age were also significantly associated with materialism and entitlement. However, gender and age were found not to be significantly associated with work centrality. Work centrality was found to be significantly associated with entitlement mentality. Work values, on the other hand, were found not to be significantly associated with entitlement mentality, but were significantly associated with materialism. Materialism was found to be significantly associated with entitlement mentality. On the basis of all of these results, it was concluded that the theory of rising expectations and generational cohort theory might be responsible for the entitlement mentality and materialism, which literature often associates with Generation Y. The results also suggested that for organisations to attract and retain Generation Y employees, managers need to pay attention to extrinsic aspects of the job, such as pay. / XL2018

ABSTRACT Before 1994 corporal punishment was the main discipline strategy implemented in schools. Since then legislation has been passed, which resulted in corporal punishment being made illegal. The majority of educators strongly opposed this change in the national discipline policy as they felt it left them powerless in terms of disciplining their learners. In 2000 a national programme on discipline strategies was embarked on and many of the results were incorporated in the booklet titled “Alternatives to Corporal Punishment: The Learning Experience.” This booklet formed part of the National Department of Education’s discipline policy. It contains guidelines for implementing alternative strategies to corporal punishment in an effort to remediate problems with discipline. It also gives examples of disciplinary action for dealing with misconduct. The objective of this research was to establish what educators’ perceptions of the Department of Education’s alternative methods to corporal punishment are after they had exposure to it by means of a workshop. The research also aimed to explore underlying reasons for the educators’ perceptions. The sample of sixty-four educators used for this purpose came from various school contexts from traditional ex-model C schools to historically disadvantaged schools. The data in this study was obtained by means of a structured questionnaire, which was administered to the educators that attended the workshop on the Department of Education’s Discipline policy. In view of the fact that there are no existing instruments in use to explore the objectives of this research, it was necessary to develop a questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of both open-ended questions, which required a more qualitative approach as well as close-ended questions, which were more quantitative in nature. The results obtained from this study showed that the majority of the respondents who attended the workshop agreed with the discipline policy proposed by the Department of Education. However, there was a significant discrepancy between the educators’ perceptions of the policy and whether they felt it could be successfully implemented in their schools. The main reasons for this was that the respondents felt that the Department of Education and educator training institutions do not provide educators with adequate discipline training and support. Furthermore, the findings of this study demonstrated that the respondents are experiencing a state of learned helplessness where they feel the discipline problems they are faced with are beyond their control.

In this research I explore the attitudes and experiences of teachers and students towards Life Orientation. A case study method was employed based on a co-educational state school in Eldorado Park, South Johannesburg. The study sample was Grade 11 students and their Life Orientation teachers and the research was undertaken using semi-structured interviews of both the students and the teachers as well as classroom observations. The data were analysed using a Thematic Content Analysis. The research found that interactions in Life Orientation classes are influenced by the students’ gender, race and sexual experience which all contributed to a particular set of power relations. Despite this, many of the students found Life Orientation beneficial and the limitations of the classroom interactions could be circumvented if the students entered what Goffman terms the ‘backstage’ of the lesson and spoke to the teacher individually. The success of the backstage interactions depended on the willingness of the students to enter the backstage and the openness of the teacher to deal with their issues. The research found that Life Orientation can be a successful platform for the counselling of young adults, but not in the formal, established structures of the classroom. However, it also found that the teachers did not receive enough support to effectively deal with all the students’ issues. Furthermore, it found that Life Orientation was not able to instigate wider social change.

A research report submitted to tbe Faculty of Education, UnIversity 'of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Education by coursework and research report Johannesburg, November 1994 / This study investigates the relationships between small-group work and ownership of mathematical kownledge in order to explicate relationships, an account of the interactions of a group of three std 7 pupils working together for a week on mathematical tasks in their mathematics classroom is presented. The nation of ownership in used to encompass both the elements of democracy and the development of knowledge which are expected to be produced by small-group work. The notion of ownership is elaborated through the research process. The study finds both beneficial and problematic aspects in the interractions of the group. Ownership is seen to be established, but in different ways for each pupil, because of inequalities within the group. A serious mathematical mistake is made and : [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version]

The primary purpose of the study was the design and assessment of an intervention programme that seeks to help children cope with the crisis of divorce. The intervention was named the Kids in Divorce (KID) programme and is a short-term, developmentally appropriate intervention, consisting o f 10 sessions, aimed primarily at helping the pre-adolescent child. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether children receiving the intervention showed significant improvements in their emotional and attitudinal coping responses to divorce, as meausuredby the Family1 Story Test (FST) and the Kids in Divorce (KID) questionnaire (a self-designed measure). A pilot study was done on the KID questionnaire in order to, make the necessary changes, before using the questionnaire'for the study. 3 A total of 42 pupils, from schools in th | Eldoradopark 'coloured' community participated in the study. A pre and post test experimental-iBontrol research design was used in the study, The experimental and control groups consisted of 21 children \ each. \ . J r . Results of the study reflected significant improvements measures for the experimental group, which provides strong'cm pirical^nd^^.for'S'ie usefulness of a short-,erm, children cope with parental divorce.

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Audiology in the faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, January 2017 / Background: The benefits of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) services on communication, cognition and socio-emotional development, including academic and vocational outcomes are well documented internationally. However, reports on EHDI services in South Africa are limited to the establishment of programmes for early detection of hearing impairments, with little focus on the outcomes of the subsequent early intervention (EI) for children diagnosed with a hearing impairment. Objective: This study explored the outcomes of two EI preschool programmes in the Gauteng province, South Africa. The current study aimed at describing the communication and school readiness abilities of hearing-impaired children who were enrolled in the EI preschool programmes, as well as to determine the factors that influenced the attainment of school readiness abilities. Methods: A descriptive research study was conducted on eight hearing-impaired children who graduated from two EI preschool programmes in the Gauteng Province. Content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data while frequency distribution and measures of central tendency were used to analyse the quantitative data. Results: Participants were late-identified with subsequent late provision of amplification devices and commencement of EI services. Consequently, participants demonstrated sub-optimal communication and school readiness abilities for their age. Early access to EHDI services and age-appropriate communication abilities were identified as factors that influenced the attainment of age-appropriate school readiness abilities for children with a hearing impairment. Conclusion: There is a great need for the establishment of more EI programmes that will meet the unique needs of hearing-impaired children in different contexts and ensure that they also have an opportunity to develop on par with their peers with normal hearing. Further research in this area needs to be undertaken exploring similar objectives to the current study with a larger, diverse sample for improved generalisability of the findings. / XL2018